The Unearthing
Watching “The Unearthing,” I was reminded of the first film I was ever asked to watch about 10 years ago, “Royal Faceoff.” Like Tristan Jensen’s film, that had a low-budget, low-production value quality that included somewhat amateur performances and a story that felt like an after-school special. I didn’t like that film. And yet, for almost 59 minutes, “The Unearthing” engaged me and I could look past the flaws of it’s production, and enjoy the nature of the story itself. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that Jensen’s story feels more palpable to an actual teenager’s experience than “Royal Faceoff” was, but there’s also something sincere about the performances and how they bring the characters to life. We get caught up in the lives of these characters, and wonder what will happen to them. The story moves into somewhat unbelievable territory at the end, and the ending is a bit too ambiguous, but we still find ourselves emotionally attached to the characters, and where they will go after the credits roll.
The film begins with Autumn (Riley Yeary) coming to a small town with her father (Scott Novotny) for the summer. Her father is doting on her while they are together, and it implies that something has split their family apart; possibly a divorce, but it feels like something even more traumatic. The next morning, she wakes up to a girl named Charlotte (Angelina Masciopinto) in her bedroom, drawing something in her sketchbook. What is she doing there? Watching her. Creepy, but Charlotte gets Autumn outside and in the nearby woods, where they meet up with Patrick (Kaleb Miller), a sullen individual whom Charlotte wants Autumn to befriend. After an awkward introduction, they then go exploring in the town, making their way to the Warden House museum, which is where the wardens at a long-closed prison in town lived. No one seems to be around, but the three go investigating anyway. While upstairs, they are confronted by a woman that can only be described as a ghost. They are scared, but also intrigued, and it’s off to the library they go. They aren’t necessarily prepared for what they find, though.
The sound quality is lacking, and the camerawork is very low-tech, but “The Unearthing” is about more than just the filmmaking that went into it. This is a film about unexpectedly finding friendships that lead you on an adventure you will never forget. It feels like a film like “Bridge to Terabithia” or a Nancy Drew mystery, and it’s played like that quite well by the young leads. While they sometimes have moments where you can’t help but remember they are probably just starting out, they each find the heart of their characters, and have moments that feel all too real for someone who seemed to be on the outside looking in growing up. That’s part of why “The Unearthing,” for all it’s faults as a film, grabbed me as a story. It captures something essential to growing up that you can’t really fake. It’s a fine piece of storytelling, and you want to follow it further.
