It's hard not to have preconceived notions about a film called Bone Lake. Even the characters are fully aware of that suggestive title. However, director Mercedes Bryce Morgan (A Spoonful of Sugar) and screenwriter Joshua Friedlander don't shy away from the sordid potential of their collaboration; there's sexy and dangerous fun to be had here as two couples meet for the first time in this four-handed erotic thriller.
Bone Lake is described as a "Lifetime sensationalist film," which is accurate. Of course, and in all honesty, this is a more worthwhile and better-made modern exploitation film. For starters: there's no doubt that the situation is anything but innocent.
Director: Mercedes Bryce Morgan
Writer: Joshua Friedlander
Stars: Alex Roe, Maddie Hasson, Marco Pigossi
Two young and attractive couples book the same rental property at the same time? Understandably, the situation seems suspicious to anyone with even a minimal amount of experience with these kinds of thrillers. Even so, playing along never gets tedious because Bone Lake is perfectly aware that its audience is suspicious from the start. And knowing that something sinister is coming doesn't spoil the fun.
This is, for the most part, a single-location film. Once Marco Pigossi and Maddie Hasson arrive at their characters' getaway and decide to share it with these charming and sexy strangers—convincingly played by Alex Roe and Andra Nechita—the story is confined to this idyllic yet ominous mansion. It's true that it's imbued with a "we've seen this before" atmosphere, yet the story eventually takes a turn (and a good one, by the way). Bone Lake delivers on expectations without being too predictable or, worse, boring.
What greatly helps this film is its cast. The characters never quite break out of their pre-established molds—the troubled writer, the repressed couple, the temptress, etc.—but they have a certain flair that makes their survival more compelling. Diego (Pigossi) and Sage (Hasson) are already walking a tightrope before Roe and Nechita's characters, Will and Cin, show up; Their self-destructive tension makes it easier to forgive their naiveté in the face of this other couple who practically scream "suspicious." The obliviousness is quite humorous, especially in the scenes where the suspicious actions are glaringly obvious. However, for those less forgiving of the potential victims' recklessness, everything changes before the third act.
As for Will and Cin, their characters don't have the same depth as their fellow vacationers. The film focuses more on their actions than on their logic. There's a superficial attempt to expose and analyze their motivations, but this never proves as interesting as their deceptive activities and so on. Roe and Nechita provide the distinctive touch to this entertainingly sordid script, and without them, Bone Lake would hardly stay afloat.
This isn't a film with unpredictable plot twists. If you're looking for something more innovative and less predictable, look elsewhere. On the contrary, Bone Lake knows exactly what kind of film it is, and once you accept that reality, the real fun begins.
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