Scary stories transform dramatically when told fireside or during a thunderstorm-fueled blackout. The dark, ambient setting lends a potent power to the imagination. It’s with this in mind that Scare Me weaves an imaginative and witty horror-comedy perfect for a quiet, cozy night in.

The plot follows Fred (Josh Ruben), an aspiring writer who rents a snowy cabin for a weekend as an intended writer’s retreat. The story ideas don’t flow so easily, though, despite him trying his best to spark his imagination. It so happens, though, that his cabin neighbor is a best-selling horror novelist, Fanny (Aya Cash). When a storm causes a blackout in the neighborhood, Fanny shows up at Fred’s door and challenges him to tell a scary story. As the pair embark on a battle of wits and storytelling, Fred’s insecurities come to the forefront as he’s forced to acknowledge that Fanny is far better at spinning yarns. As a result, the tensions between them continue to mount over the evening, and it threatens to spill over with the arrival of a third member to their scary story party.

Though his character may struggle to tell a story, Ruben proves far more adept a storyteller behind the screen. Making his feature debut, Ruben pulls triple duty; starring, writing, and directing this razor-sharp horror comedy. Scare Me makes for a shining example of minimalism done well. Distilled to its most simple mechanics, Ruben’s feature is almost entirely set within the confines of Fred’s cabin. Save for effective framing, camerawork, and lighting to emphasize the shadows and firelight glow, there’s no fancy bells and whistles involved. Just a simple, pared back film that lets its two leads do a lot of the heavy lifting. Luckily, all of the talent involved take a simple concept that could easily unravel at every turn and transform it into an engaging narrative that reminds us of the profound effect our imagination can play, and how an excellent story can sear into our minds.

Ruben is impressively expressive as Fred. His comic timing is impeccable, a must for a successful horror-comedy, but it’s his physicality that really makes the character so engaging. As fun as he is to watch as he acts out Fred’s stories, it pales in comparison to the brilliance of Cash. Even if the film were a complete flop, and it isn’t, what Cash puts out in her dynamic performance is incredible. Fanny’s acerbic wit and bullying nature as she pokes, needles, and flings barbs at Fred, coaxing him into honing his craft, would be antagonistic in lesser talent’s hands. In Cash’s, she manages to make her character empathetic; we embrace her flaws. When Fanny eventually exposes her vulnerabilities, Cash makes the transition so effortless. The volley between Fred and Fanny is the core essence of Scare Me.

The final act does veer into predictable territory, which potentially is intentional and apropos of the characters involved, and the middle act dips in energy. Just when the narrative seems to start spinning its wheels, enter Chris Redd‘s Carlo to inject a new dose of energy and laughs. Ruben puts storytelling at the forefront of a deceptively simple film. The quiet and pared back nature won’t be for everyone, of course. But to those that love wisecracking dialogue, clever writing, and a complex dissection on the conventions of writing fiction, Scare Me shines. As a battle of wits between two endlessly entertaining characters, over the nature of horror movies and scary stories no less, Scare Me feels like a spooky, cozy warm blanket worth cuddling up to by the fire.

Ahead of its World Premiere at Sundance, Scare Me was acquired by Shudder.