Dylan McDermott taps into something special as his unpredictable performance elevates The Clovehitch Killer to something special!

“Your father has other hobbies…”

Is evil something that can simply stop and go to sleep after a certain amount of time? Can enough normalcy silence the dark thoughts that people feel, or are they always just bubbling under the surface and waiting for the right opportunity to reveal themselves after their extended hiatus. Sure, it’s terrifying to watch forces of nature like Michael Myers or Freddy Krueger annihilate teenagers, but there’s something even more disturbing about a schoolteacher or an office worker or a stay-at-home dad that starts murdering people. The idea that evil can hide in plain sight and brush up against us every day without us knowing is infinitely more frightening than some supernatural demon from hell and The Clovehitch Killer goes all-in on this intimate proposal.

The Clovehitch Killer weaves an ornate story where a young religious boy, Tyler (Charlie Plummer), begins to suspect that his picturesque father, Don (Dylan McDermott), could be a retired serial killer who used to terrorize the community. Admittedly, this premise itself isn’t that original, which is why it’s exciting to see how much the film rises above the idea and makes it feel unique. Newcomer director, Duncan Skiles, and writer Christopher Ford (co-writer of Cop Car and Clown) tap into something special here and know where the true horror lies in such a personal story. Charlie Plummer brings real pathos to the frightened, suspicious Tyler, but this is really McDermott’s game to own here as Don. His slow, subtle transformation in which he gradually lets out his true colors is phenomenal and some of the best work the actor’s ever done. He’s a ticking time bomb of dread and his performance keeps you enraptured.

A lot of what makes The Clovehitch Killer work is the strong details that it puts into characterization. Don, for instance, is a trusted boy scout leader, which makes his possible killer status eternally more creepy. It also speaks to the character’s need for rules and order, to a fault. The heavy religious influence in their family is another strong detail that also works. It gives the film a strong moral center and then begins to pick away at it. It’s a constant presence over Tyler and his family. The film delights in scenes where Don acts dopey and dances around with his family that wouldn’t’ stand out at all in a different sort of movie, but here they’re utterly terrifying because of what he may be hiding. McDermott’s unnerving performance really makes you go back and forth whether he’s actually a killer or just a stressed out dad.

The best moments in the film are without a doubt any time that Tyler and Don are put together. These are extremely tense situations, but the film earns that tension. There are plenty of effective scenes that highlight how close this father and son are, but also hint at the danger that may be bubbling underneath. A simple conversation about the birds and the bees can become steeped in dread. These scenes also work so well because of Tyler’s delicate soul. An early moment in the picture where Tyler gets out of the car to move a defenseless turtle off of the road and out of the way of danger is a perfect illustration of the kind of kind-hearted individual that he is. You really want to see him get out of this okay.

Throughout all of Tyler’s research into the Clovehitch Killer, his only real friend is Kassi (Samantha Mathis), a serial killer-obsessed orphan. Kassi helps make Tyler feel normal and protected, but their relationship is strong and feels natural. It also helps to see how everyone else is afraid and put off by Kassi, but Tyler finds a companion with her. It’s also compelling to see Kassi help Tyler in his research on the Clovehitch Killer murders and give him an ally in this fight. She’s definitely a breath of fresh air for Tyler.

It’s impressive to see how early the film starts to seed the idea that Don may not be all that he seems. The movie could really hold off on these suspicions, but throwing it into the mix so early helps the audience become as uneasy as Tyler is through all of this. The Clovehitch Killer understands when to ramp up the suspense, just when it feels like things are ready to settle down.

The Clovehitch Killer finds such a natural pacing that really works for this story. It’s shocking to see how much anxiety gets created in the film’s first half hour and the solid foundation that this provides for what follows. Furthermore, the film doesn’t drag out its story and has events hit exactly when they need to. In this sense, the film continually breaks conventions and surprises its audience with how things play out. There may be familiar beats to this story, but it remixes them and gets creative in ways that make this genuinely unpredictable.

As much as this film is about Tyler’s journey to discover if his dad has some devastating secret, it’s just as interested in what makes Don tick and how this guarded character operates. That’s a fascinating topic to explore, especially when it’s presented in such a mature, deep way. The final act turns up the mayhem as Tyler and Kassi attempt to figure out the truth in all of this. At the same time, The Clovehitch Killer’s climax plays around with the film’s linear structure and builds to a creative, unexpected conclusion that messes with its timeline and reframes events in a new context.

The Clovehitch Killer realizes that mysteries are more frightening than hard facts, but the film still isn’t afraid to indulge in serial killer creepiness when the moment is right. Tyler and Kassi’s research into the Clovehitch Killer unearths a litany of “props” and blueprints that are seriously the stuff of nightmares. Whether the Clovehitch Killer is Don or not, the film establishes that there’s something fundamentally broken in this serial murderer.

The Clovehitch Killer masterfully presents its thought-provoking tale with confidence and the results are electric. Sometimes what’s even scarier than living with a serial killer is not knowing if you’re living with a serial killer. The Clovehitch Killer makes a meal out of that premise and it’s one that will gladly have you asking for seconds.

The Clovehitch Killer will see release by IFC Midnight in limited theaters and VOD on November 16^th.