April 2024 Film Reviews: You’ll Never Find Me, Black ‘47, One Life

This month, we’ll take a look at three films not produced in America. (Take that, Hollywood!) Read on to learn more about an Australian indie horror, an Irish historical drama, and a British true story. You might not have heard of any of these three movies before, but that doesn’t mean they’re not deserving of a watch!

You’ll Never Find Me (2024)

Shudder, 96 minutes

You’ll Never Find Me is an independent Australian horror film directed by first time directors Indianna Bell (who also wrote the screenplay) and Josiah Allen. It’s one of those movies where we focus on only two characters in a single location. In this case, our characters are an older man, living a seemingly isolated life in a trailer, and a mysterious woman who shows up at said trailer late one night. The pair become increasingly suspicious of one another as a raging storm outside prevents the woman from leaving.

Both actors, who haven’t had any major roles, do a pretty good job. The film is really dependent on their performances since it’s largely just the two of them talking with one another in a creepy setting.

You’ll Never Find Me is definitely the sort of story where viewers are wondering what’s really going on from the start. It’s a slow burn horror film for sure, though it might be even a little too slow over its first 60 minutes. While the first hour might be too deliberately paced, I was still interested enough to keep watching. The last act of the movie is probably too bonkers, but it still worked for me, at least on some level. This is by no means a perfect film, but at around only an hour and a half in length, it’s definitely watchable, and is a good first effort from new filmmakers.

Grade: 7/10

Black ’47 (2018)

IFC Films, 100 minutes 

Black ’47 is an Irish period drama set in (as the name suggests) 1847. The story centers on an Irishman who returns home after serving in the British army to find Ireland in the midst of an awful famine. Upon discovering that his family members have died, the ranger undertakes a quest for justice, seeking out those responsible for the deaths of his family and the awful situation in Ireland.

British authorities quickly realize who’s responsible for the carnage the ranger is causing and send an army captain and a disgraced inspector, who is also a former veteran, to apprehend him. From here, we have the ex-ranger hunting those responsible while also being pursued himself.

Black ’47 falls into both the action and drama genres, though it might not be quite action-packed enough for those looking for an action flick or dramatic enough for those wanting a more thoughtful period drama. Still, despite being a little slow, this is a well-made film with a solid (yet simple) story and quality acting. I’m surprised that I hadn’t heard of Black ‘47 before, as it’s worth a watch for those interested in this sort of historical revenge tale.

Grade: 7/10

One Life (2023)

See-Saw Films, 109 minutes

One Life is a historical drama that tells the true story of Nicholas Winton, a British stockbroker, who ends up spearheading a campaign to evacuate refugees from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. The film goes back and forth between the late 1930s and late 1980s. In the late 30s, a 29-year-old Winton begins the process of saving child refugees. Meanwhile, an older Winton in 1988 reminisces about his past.

The first act of the film is a little slow, but then the story definitely picks up the pace as we see more of Winton’s plan being enacted. Anthony Hopkins stars as the older version of Winton and he does a good job playing a heroic, yet restrained, man. Nicholas Winton is both someone we can admire for what he accomplished, while at the same time, he remains a very relatable human being.

Overall, One Life isn’t a phenomenal film, but it’s still a supremely worthwhile one. When you really think about the plot of the film, it’s rather simple, but that doesn’t make it any less worth learning about. I think most viewers will be moved by One Life, a film that definitely packs an emotional punch.

Grade: 7.5/10