We Never Stood A Chance (2022) Review
Since making his directorial debut in 2018 with his indie-horror film Weird Fiction, Jacob Perrett has been consistently working on feature films with the utmost perseverance. Perrett has a deep love of genre films and it’s evident throughout his filmography. While Weird Fiction and Spine Chiller were overt horror films in story and aesthetics, his latest feature is something a little more complex. Perrett has begun experimenting with blending genres, and in his latest picture We Never Stood A Chance, the horror is momentarily set aside for a romantic backdrop.
We Never Stood A Chance is directed and written by Jacob Perrett. The film stars Isabella Rodriguez, Katie Mihailov, Jacob Guseman, and Josh Searle-White. The film follows a woman attempting to confront her past relationship trauma, by asking out a frequent loner at her restaurant. As their date continues, the loner’s intentions become more sinister.
While filmed for an estimated $400, Perrett and company utilize every cent to fulfill a full-length feature. Filmed in Erie, Pennsylvania during the winter, the film’s location left me feeling cold and isolated. In this somber Before Sunrise-like story, our two main characters awkwardly get to know one another on their first date. They share their interests, stories from childhood, and frustrations with the world but can’t quite click. Throughout the film they push and pull one another for information, trying so desperately to connect.
As We Never Stood A Chance progresses we get these small unsettling hints as to what could be going on. Is Clay a stalker? Does he have ulterior motives? Has he drugged Annie? It unfolds into a very unsettling turn of events. Perrett nails the awkwardness of getting to know someone and takes the overwhelming emotion to dark places. While the film feels almost too quiet at times and could use some additional moments of levity, We Never Stood A Chance stands on its own because of its writing.
The cinematography throughout puts you in a newfound relationship and lets you sit in on imperfect people doing their best to share a piece of themselves. Jacob Perrett’s We Never Stood A Chance is cold, personal, and above all else a great example of how a simple story can lock a viewer in regardless of the budget. We Never Stood A Chance has an expected release for October 1st, 2022.
