STAY RISES ABOVE ITS TINY BUDGET WITH A SHOCKING FINALE
By Garrett Schulte
STAY is the supernaturally-tinged debut from writer/director Brandon Walker. Taking a no-excuses approach to filmmaking, Walker and his producing partner, Ashley Park, have completed their first feature film, utilizing only readily available resources. Notably, STAY was shot with an iPhone XR and leans into its vlogger style narrative. To that end, STAY successfully delivers in a deliciously low-tech way.
STAY opens with a series of unsettling moments, courtesy of a grainy surveillance webcam. With each rickety scan, we get a glimpse of the murky and pixelated depths this film is capable of.
After the prologue, the action kicks into gear on the streets of NYC. The story centers on Olivia, an ambitious model who dreams of success in the big city. As a recent transplant, Olivia’s sights are set on landing a prestigious contract with ‘Biggest Night in Fashion,’ a company that resembles another famous lingerie brand. Ashley Park in the role of Olivia balances the character’s driving ambition with moments of quirky relatability.
A collection of YouTube-style entries drops us directly into a world dominated by “must have” handbags and social media climbing. In the early going we meet some of the supporting cast members, including Dre Davis as Olivia’s friend Mia Kai. Many will recognize Dre from her role as Sarah Harvey on the popular ABC series Pretty Little Liars.
Everything about the world of fashion lends itself to excess. And when Olivia is finally offered the job at ‘Biggest Night in Fashion,’ she doesn’t hesitate to fly her London-based boyfriend Julian to New York. With money problems seemingly behind her, Olivia desires an apartment becoming of her newly minted fame. Early scenes between the movie’s central characters have a breezy quality thanks to the impeccable comic timing of Project Runway alum Jesse LeNoir.
In the East Village, the young couple tour a former coat factory turned residential loft space. The building’s conversion is minimalistic and chic despite an elevator that seems determined to plunge its occupants to their death. The discovery of a decade-old mannequin that “comes with the building” should raise suspicion, but instead, Julian flirts with the plaster figure. Olivia seems strangely drawn to the living space, and after some negotiations (and ghostly whispers), her mind is made up.
Settling into a new apartment is never easy, but oil spewing faucets, perverse VHS tapes and a mannequin that doesn’t stay put should be grounds for breaking the lease. But of course, they don’t. It seems that in New York City, people are not only willing to kill for an apartment, they might be willing to die for one too.
Julian gifts Olivia an antique necklace, which she immediately adorns. The source of the key is a bit of a mystery, but Olivia is happy to trade her delicate gold cross for it.
Coincidences and bad omens seem to pile up inside the barren space that Olivia calls her “dream apartment.” And while her mood steadily sours, her YouTube audience seems more than intrigued by the strange and inexplicable occurrences.
Perhaps suffering from a “deadbeat” boyfriend complex, the otherwise supportive Julian decides that they should capitalize on the fan-fueled interest in the apartment. With delight, Julian sets up a webcam capable of live streaming to Olivia’s website 24/7. The new system successfully captures a series of long and disturbing clips that suggest that Olivia herself may be at the center of the strange occurrences. It’s one thing to lose yourself in your work, but Olivia seems to be in jeopardy of losing her soul.
At this point, the film takes a dark and brutal turn toward the macabre. To say much more would be to say too much about what is the movie’s best attribute… a steep pitch into disturbing territory that more than makes up for any early meanderings. In fact, the escalating tension and clear shift in character dynamics got under my skin in an uncomfortable way. The last act of STAY rewards more “horror centric” viewers for their patience with the less than conventional opening act. The frights come in multiple forms, some slow and methodical, but most hit you at high speed.
I have been criticized recently for giving a pass to films with ultra-low budgets because, despite limitations, they accomplish what their audience expects. There may be some truth in such an assessment, but on the other hand, nobody in the real world views every movie with the same kind of expectations. STAY, despite its microscopic budget, gives the audience some of what they expect, before doubling down on its kamikaze descent into madness. The climax is over the top and contains one of the more tense elevator scenes I’ve watched. While I’m not completely sure how all the parts of the mystery fit together, this is a movie about the horror of the mystery itself, not about its solution. Most importantly, I cared about the main characters, who seem like good people who unwittingly become distracted by fame and attention- seeking.
New filmmakers like Brandon Walker are not waiting for permission to tell their stories. With inexpensive camera solutions at the ready, they either have no shame or no fear regarding the complexities of feature film production. Regardless, the spirit of DIY creativity is on full display in STAY. Despite its obvious shortcomings, this movie takes the influences of earlier self-shot projects like Paranormal Activity and applies a fresh coat of varnish.
