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Though lockdown hit cinemas hard and stalled many big productions, for other filmmakers it was an opportunity. A reduction in other work meant there was more time to write and to develop ideas in small teams, and also the opportunity to shoot small scale projects. Whilst this means that there is now a glut of small scale dramas and horror films, the better ones have quickly risen to the top. Help is an impressive feature début by prolific short film creator Blake Ridder, and though it may be predictable in places, high production values and solid performances keep it on track.

Grace (rising star Emily Redpath) is having a bad week. She breaks up over Zoom with a boyfriend who says there’s no point in them being together if she’s not going to relocate and fit her life around his. Driving out into the countryside to get her head together,...

If the drama wasn’t bad enough, a dog dies in this poorly conceived thriller that suffers from wooden acting and turgid pacing

This dull, stilted, suspense drama is not to be confused with either the excellent TV series of the same name starring Stephen Graham and Jodie Comer, or the Beatles’ larky 1965 collaboration with director Richard Lester. Perhaps this Help’s writer-director, Blake Ridder, and his producers were hoping that folks surfing streaming platforms might click on their production thinking it was either of these two far superior entertainments. Accidental viewers are not likely to stick with this unless they really want to know what happens to three or so thinly drawn characters locked in a psychodrama of suspicion, betrayal and unconvincingly faked lust.

Having just split up with her long-distance lover, Grace (Emily Redpath) comes to visit her old friend Liv (Sarah Alexandra Marks) and partner Edward (Louis James) in the countryside.

Help Trailer — Blake Ridder‘s Help (2021) movie trailer has been released by Riddler Films. The Help trailer stars Louis James, Emily Redpath, Sarah Alexandra Marks, Stuart Wolfe-Murray, Amy Jim, and Duncan James. Crew Blake Ridder wrote the screenplay for Help. Ruth Chan created the music for the film. Samuel Pearce crafted the cinematography for the [...]

Continue reading: Help (2021) Movie Trailer: Emily Redpath & Sarah Alexandra Marks’ Well-kept Secrets Become Exposed in Blake Ridder’s Film...

"I knew something strange was happening from the moment I got here..." An official trailer has debuted for an indie mystery drama titled Help, the feature directorial debut of British indie filmmaker Blake Ridder, who is self-distributing this one after a few fests. It played at the Cinequest Film Festival, and is dropping on VOD starting in February 2022 for any interested. A young woman's life turns chaotic when she uncovers a deadly secret about her friend. It's about a trio of friends that meet up in the idyllic English countryside, but "secrets are exposed and the friends come to see each other in a whole new light." Dun dun dun... The film stars Louis James, Emily Redpath, Sarah Alexandra Marks, and Duncan James. This looks much better than expected, although the erotic thriller story seems a tad cliche. Expect plenty of twists and turns. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Blake Ridder's Help,...

Old friends, an unexpected guest, and sounds of violence in the night are good ingredients for an intriguing psychological thriller. Written and directed by Blake Ridder, Help contains the aforementioned ingredients, which are showcased nicely in a new trailer. Louis James, Emily Redpath, Sarah Alexandra Marks, and Duncan James star. The official synopsis gives a bit more information: "A painful break-up prompts Grace to visit her friend Liv, who is living in the idyllic English countryside with her boyfriend Edward and his dog Polly. The trio start the weekend in high spirits but soon turns into chaos, as well-kept secrets are exposed and the friends come to see each other in a whole new light." Have a look at the trailer below. Help will be...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Filmed in just 12 days during the recent lockdowns, Help is a psychological thriller set in the dark heart of the English countryside. Starring Louis James, Emily Redpath, Sarah Alexandra Marks & Duncan James, the film was written and directed by Blake Ridder.

There are deep and dark secrets here, friendships and betrayals – exactly the sort of thing for a dark February evening. Here’s a handy synopsis:

A painful break up prompts Grace to visit her friend Liv who is living in the idyllic English countryside with her boyfriend Edward and his dog Polly. The trio start the weekend in high spirits but soon turns into chaos, as well-kept secrets are exposed and the friends come to see each other in a whole new light.

We’ve got first look at the trailer today, and you can get Help when its available on Digital Download from 15th Februrary 2022. Here’s the trailer,...