‘Kill thy neighbor!’
Red Letter Day is a 2019 Canadian satirical horror-thriller film written and directed by Cameron Macgowan. The Awkward Silencio-RLD Productions movie stars Dawn Van de Schoot, Hailey Foss, Kaeleb Zain Gartner and Roger LeBlanc.
Plot:
While adjusting to a new life in the suburban community of Aspen Ridge, a recently divorced mother of two receives mysterious letters instructing her and her teenage children to kill the people in their letters before they kill them.
Paranoia and chaos ensue as the family attempts to rationally deal with an irrational situation…
Release:
Red Letter Day was picked up Epic Pictures for US distribution via their DREAD imprint and will be released on Blu-ray and VOD on November 5th 2019. Blu-ray special features:
Suburban Skirmish: The Making of Red Letter Day
Interview with actress Tiffany Helm
Reviews:
“While the premise may not be wholly original, Red Letter Day is a real hoot of a film. It zips by at a lively pace, will make you laugh and delivers some surprising violence. The film never takes itself too seriously and that definitely works in its favour. Macgowan directs with plenty of flair and his script never lulls…” Entertainment Focus
” …there’s barely time to introduce them before the bloodshed begins. The biggest crime though is that we end up leaving these characters just as we’re finally getting to know them. A fun-filled take on the kill thy neighbour idea that, whilst enjoyable enough, could benefit from a slightly less punchy pace.” The Hollywood News
“Even at seventy-five minutes it feels padded – you can safely nod off during the anecdote about the road trip and the wounded deer – but it has a terrific premise, ferociously well worked out, and an excellent performance from Dawn Van de Schoot as an unwilling tiger mommy.” The Kim Newman Web Site
“It’s a bit of a hot take but I think the delivery of a fun horror experience with a subtle comment on “us vs them” paranoia was done in a better way than Us. Red Letter Day keeps its priorities of being a good time without getting caught up in trying to look smart.” Letterboxd
“Keeping the tone less on suspense or horror, and more on the unusual mix of satire and comedy, MacGowan ostensibly makes a pass at the (all too easy) target of the ‘isolated manicured reality’ of the suburban experience, but deep down, Red Letter Day‘s satirical daggers go after all of Canada, and civilized society.” Screen Anarchy
Cast and characters:
- Dawn Van de Schoot … Melanie Edwards – Ice Blue
- Hailey Foss … Madison Edwards
- Kaeleb Zain Gartner … Timothy Edwards
- Roger LeBlanc … Luther Addams
- Arielle Rombough … Alice Huang
- Michael Tan … Lewis Huang
- Peter Strand Rumpel … Ted Dennis
- Tiffany Helm … Nicole Morris
- Ryan Irving … Cody Carpenter
- Greg Spielman … Rudy Heston
- Josh Bertwistle … Donald Spencer
- Marni Reisig … Wendy Addams
- Cameron Gerlitz … Ryan Addams
- Cody Cook … Gerry
- Luigi Riscaldino … Michael
Technical details:
76 minutes
