Studio: Gravitas Ventures
Release Date: 11/11/2025
Rating: NR, but I’d consider it PG-13 or a very light R
Film Grade: B
The Story: Fifteen-year-old Spider and her ten-year-old sister, Jessie, are in a horrible predicament. Their mother has just fatally overdosed and rather than going to the authorities, they’ve chosen to hide her body out of fear for being split up in foster care. How long can they keep the charade going?
My Take: I’ll admit it, from the library’s description I thought this might have been a horror/thriller, but it was anything but. Instead, it’s a thoughtful drama with interesting characters, built around the prevalent problems of opioid addiction and its aftereffects. I was not left disappointed in any way.
In researching the story, director Dan Kay teamed up with journalist Julia Keller, the two of them touring some of the most devastated parts of the country to interview case workers and those affected by the ongoing crisis. Using those interviews as the groundwork for the script, Kay created something that isn’t preachy and doesn’t dwell in melancholy or pity. Instead, he’s used those tragic situations to build a small and compelling story around two sisters that have to deal with the aftermath of their mother’s death.
The success of these movies often falls on the child actors, and Kay found two winners with Mckenna Grace as Spider and Jojo Regina as Jessie. They’re definitely written as children; there aren’t any moments were the audience starts to think that these are just adult actions carried out by youngsters. The two have their own distinct personalities and voices as well. Spider is starting to mature in her own ways, and while still a kid, she starts seeing things with more gravity as the film progresses. That sense of responsibility is formed by some harsh moments, but the movie balances those episodes with both newfound attractions and childish concerns, keeping it from feeling perpetually depressing. The younger Jessie is both accepting of some things and in denial of others, in the way you might expect a preteen to act. The dynamic between them feels both familial and true while also allowing them to look at things in contrasting ways.
There are two weaker performances here, by two of the male characters. Dacre Montgomery plays things on the hammy/caricature side as the boyfriend of the deceased mother, and Forrest Goodluck plays a store clerk on the bland side, with a flat delivery style. But there are other supporting characters that bring things back up, especially the small part of a shop owner, played perfectly dry by Donn Lamkin.
The film might draw comparisons to Winter’s Bone, another fine film with similar themes, but there’s not much in common other than some broad strokes. Winter’s Bone is a larger, Hollywood-style mystery/thriller, while this movie feels much more like an indie with a smaller scope, grounded much more closely in the real world.
Visuals: The movie has a very true-to-life, natural look from the rich outdoors to the dirty, dingy interior of the sisters’ home. It also offers good contrast, and darks are well defined. It’s another good example of how drones have really benefitted small productions, giving them the chance for shots that could have only been done with expensive cranes or helicopters just a decade ago.
Audio: The disc features a standard DTS 5.1 HD MA mix that has some environmental envelopment, but nothing outstanding. There’s a scene with a muscle car that could use some more bite, but all that is just extra window dressing. This is a drama, so the clear dialog is what stands out here.
With dramas like this, young directors may opt for an overbearing score that hammers the audience with bold strokes to evoke emotion. This film avoids that trap by employing soft wistful strings, and only occasionally ramping things up for moments of tension. Ther are a few songs added in, such as a folksy tune that succinctly captures a carefree moment of youthful exuberance. The piece playing over the ending credits was sung and co-written by star Grace and offers a touching summery of Spider’s story.
Special Features: None, which is both surprising and unfortunate.
Final Verdict: I find myself gravitating more and more to these smaller films lately, with first-time filmmakers being able to minimize budgets but still tell their own stories in interesting ways. What We Hide has been another fine entry in a tremendous year for new talent. Neither didactic nor preachy, director Kay has chosen to focus on the indirect and oft-forgotten secondary victims of addiction. It’s a story that could be pulled down by its own weightiness but avoids that by interjecting lighter fun moments alongside all that seriousness.
Recommended for anyone looking for a touching family story centered on a serious crisis that works on an emotional level without ever feeling manipulative. By the end of the first act, I didn’t mind one bit that there were no zombies, ghosts, or other horror elements. The true consequences of addiction are more than frightening enough.
Fun Quote: "I'm almost 11, I can cuss if I want. . .”
My Review System:JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
Oppo BDP-93
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup
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