Combining the supernatural with the unrelenting realities of real life is a crossover of sorts that’s not a new idea. A notable example is Poltergeist, where a typical suburban family faces a supernatural haunting. Hulu’s Stay, a new straight-to-streaming release, uses this structure as a blueprint of sorts and then adds its own twist. It doesn’t always work and stalls in certain areas, but full marks to the cast and crew for their efforts to at least work outside the box.
Kiara (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and Miles (Mo McRae) are a couple nearing the end of their marriage. It is unclear initially what has driven a wedge between them, but it is soon revealed, and you have to wonder how any couple could cope with that. The struggle is real for them both, and it shows, not just in the acting but in the way the scenes are shot in darker colors at times, shadows, creating a gloomy and depressing atmosphere, which is an excellent backdrop for the actors to work with.
It doesn’t take long for a simple drama-like story to switch gears when strange things start happening to Kiara. Miles is skeptical until he begins to have experiences of his own. They try to work together to figure out what is going on while still trying to work through the main issue that caused the rift between them in the first place. It creates this weird dynamic, moving back and forth between the real world and whatever is happening around them. It is a little jarring at times and cuts scenes at some strange spots, but it’s not a bad launching place to move into the back end of the film, where revelations are made and ugly truths are dragged out into the open.
Writer-director Jas Summers is at the helm for the first time, trying his best to make something original out of a story that smacks of familiarity on many occasions. To his credit, he has created some interesting moments and scenes. Collaborating with cinematographer John Rosario, the two create some fantastic visual moments and an overall feel of eerie shadows and foreboding colors. It works well, though at times things seem a bit too dark or saturated in color during lengthy dialogue.
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Summers did well with his leads as both Echikunwoke and McRae did justice to their roles. A special shout-out to Echikunwoke, who goes above and beyond in some scenes, making them more tense than they should be. The two actors, who are tasked with carrying the majority of the film by themselves, have some great chemistry, and some scenes are extremely tense and uncomfortable. With a house being the set piece for a bulk of the film, everyone involved does well to make that set fit the scenes. Although it doesn’t become a major part of the film, it does feel eerie at times.
There are moments when the limitations of time and money do raise their collective heads, though. Some scenes seem slapped together, which isn’t surprising for a smaller film. However, when combined with some inexperience in certain areas, some things don’t work. Scenes fall flat, or there is too much dialogue where simple lines and moments of silence would have been much more effective. It takes the viewer out of specific moments, leaving you scratching your head when it shifts quickly somewhere else.
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Hulu’s Stay is one of those films that embodies the little engine that could, striving to overcome obstacles with limited resources, passion, and a singular idea driving it. It will be hard-pressed to win over viewers in the mass of streaming releases that seem to inundate audiences weekly. Still, it is a film made with heart, some interesting ideas, and the best of intentions. In the end, you can’t ask much more from those in front of and behind the camera.
Stay is now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
