Like most, I’m growing ever so exhausted by the onslaught of Found Footage movies in the genre. It’s a gimmick that usually serves no purpose and is continuously filled with stupid, stupid plot holes. However, exceptions to the rule are always there to prove me wrong and so we have Play Hooky. This is the first feature from director Frank S. Petrilli and he clearly knows what he’s doing.
Simple is always the best way to go with this sub-genre and you don’t get much simpler than a group of kids skipping school to get high. Play Hooky doesn’t really break new ground for Found Footage but it does fill in the plot holes that plague most of these things. For one, it seems to be set in the 90s (there’s a lot of flannel…) so the “Oh no I have no reception!” trope is eliminated, thank Christ. Also, there is a reason for filming, one of our characters Brad (J. Wright Chester) is hoping to get some action on film for him and his cousin of the girls they bring along. Believable and effective.
Admittedly, Play Hooky is a bit slow going to get to the action (it’s 40 minutes or so before we even get to the asylum) but what it lacks in action is excels in creating true-to-life characters. Shit, I even remember all of their names which is something I attribute to memorable writing. We all know at least one of these characters in real life. Whether it’s the annoying tag along, the couple who never stops fighting, or the girl who wants so much to be the badass, we can relate to this group. Another bonus for identifiable characters is that we tend to feel more invested in them. I didn’t shed a tear or anything for any of them but I did want them to escape.
My favorite aspect of Play Hooky is the non-traditional way these kids are being terrorized. I won’t spoil it for you but it’s incredibly refreshing. This film doesn’t break a whole lot of new ground (except for the aforementioned “twist”) and it isn’t without flaws. Weirdly the worst acting comes from the adult roles in the film, they come off overacted and goofy but there aren’t many to distract us. I’ll be on the lookout for Petrilli’s next film, CAL.12, coming out in 2015. As fans of the genre I urge you to take a look at Play Hooky, it’s not often to find a low-budget found footage that’s actually (gasp!) decent.
