Running Time: 84 Minutes
Starring: Georgia Conlan, Dean Kilbey, Ian Laing, Jennifer K Preston, Angel-May Webb, Gareth Oldale, Liam Conlan
Opening in the dead of night, Charlotte sees the titular character (played by co-writer/director/star Georgia Conlan) arriving at the doorstep of Roy (Dean Kilbey). As Charlotte asks for help through tears, Roy is uncertain what to do about this scared young girl. Hearing about her abusive father leads Roy to reluctantly let her stay the night, while asking that she keep this a secret as he does not wish to get involved. What begins as a simple act of kindness extends into a complex relationship as Charlotte stays longer, yet tensions mounts and questions arise as all is not as it seems.
This is a feature reliant on its central pairing, and it is fantastic that both performers play their roles exceptionally. Kilbey effectively captures an unpredictability with Roy, the man who keeps to himself out of a worry that his secrets may be revealed. As he plays off his unsettling actions as "well-meaning", delivers frightening mood swings, and creepily refuses to respect personal boundaries, it leaves Charlotte in a precarious situation worse than she may have imagined. Conlan magnificently plays off her co-star, capturing the character's growing fears within this troublesome situation while depicting how her familial troubles remain on her mind.
In her feature debut, Conlan crafts an unsettling tone that permeates throughout the 84-minute runtime. News reports about missing girls fill the background, adding a sense of danger which leaves one recalling the phrase "out of the frying pan and into the fire." As more becomes revealed about the characters, the proceedings grow more unsettling as it touches upon taboo subject matter. Conlan's deft handling crafts a fine balancing act, ensuring the proceedings come alive in skin-crawling ways without feeling exploitative or disrespectful.
Admittedly, there is a subplot involving school bullies that feels like an unnecessary way to pad out the short runtime, yet this does not detract from the effective story told in gripping ways. With shades of Hard Candy and Promising Young Woman to this work, Charlotte is an uncomfortable tale which ensures ones attention is captive throughout.
Charlotte made its World Premiere at Frightfest 2024
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