Written and directed by Kevin Ignatius and Nick Psinakis, Cheat tells of a vengeful spirit with a hunger for cheaters. Opening in the year 1888 in the quiet town of Silver Creek, Cheat begins violently. A young woman is slain in a farmhouse. The viewer is not yet aware, but this woman will play an integral part of what is to come.
In the present day, Cheat’s protagonist Maeve (Corin Clay) is introduced. An art student on a scholarship, Maeve has elected to save on-campus bills by staying in the private residence of Charlie Walker (Michael Thyer). Charlie’s marriage is on the rocks in the wake of his daughter’s suicide and so it is just him and Maeve alone in the house. The two start to bond and it isn’t long before lines are crossed. The aftermath of their tryst has far-reaching circumstances though as Maeve just may have placed herself in the sights of local ghost legend, The Farmer’s Daughter…
Though the narrative might scream horror, in terms of the visual style and content, Cheat has a very naturalistic sheen to it. Primarily set during the daytime, directors Ignatius and Psinakis avoid all of the expected bumps in the night in favour of something more subdued. The death count, and the very specific reason for targeting victims, align Cheat with a slasher movie heritage. Though the lack of on-screen deaths counts makes it an untraditional one. Cheat also conforms to attributes of the curse and ghost story. It is to this sub-genre that Cheat more closely aligns, but Ignatius and Psinakis are happy to subvert some expectations. That is not to say that there are not a couple of truly awful scenarios, with Ignatius and Psinakis demonstrating a talent for throwing blood around in unforeseen ways.
As much as Cheat shares genealogy with long-standing horror genres, it is careful to keep the horror trappings in the background. Cheat is more concerned with exploring the power of small town communities and their stories. The town is hiding plenty of secrets and provides a fertile killing ground for Clara Miller (April Clark), the Farmer’s Daughter. From the first moment that Maeve sets foot into Silver Creek, she is surrounded by idle gossip. First, it’s talk of Charlie’s daughter Abbey’s suicide, and later Maeve is told about Clara. Everything is rumour and hearsay and it is for this reason that it takes Maeve so long to uncover the reality of her endangerment.
The muddy complexity of Maeve and Charlie’s relationship serves as a welcome distraction from the lack of traditional horror. Their relationship has red flags all over it from their first interaction and yet Maeve proceeds undeterred. As they each wrestle with the aftermath of their encounter, Cheat throws into light how differently people internalise and perceive guilt. Though on paper Cheat may appear to be a load of awful people getting their comeuppance, in reality the film is more concerned with highlighting the grey areas. This brings up some confusion, especially regarding Clara’s intentions. It is unclear why exactly some of her victims are targeted. An eventual explanation does not land as coherently as it should and the resulting viewing experience ends up feeling a little muddled.
Part ghost story and part slasher, Cheat attempts to spin many plates. Its stripped down, back to basics tone and style may confuse and alienate some. Others though will appreciate Ignatius and Psinakis’ attempts to marry up two long-standing institutions of the horror genre.
Cheat
Summary
Directing duo Ignatius and Psinakis do a commendable job at reworking conventions, creating a film that deviates from norms with mixed results.
Cheat was reviewed at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest.
