Come True is a 2020 Canadian film about a teenage runaway who takes part in a sleep study that soon becomes a living nightmare.
Written, photographed, edited and directed by Anthony Scott Burns (Our House; Holidays segment ‘Father’s Day’) from a story co-written with Daniel Weissenberger, the Copperheart Entertainment production stars Julia Sarah Stone, Landon Liboiron and Carlee Ryski.
Reviews:
” …Come True provides some legitimately frightening sequences and remains unsettling throughout, in no small part due to Julia Sarah Stone’s intense and evocative performance. An interesting mix of Amblin-style ’80s nostalgia coupled with nightmare-inducing imagery, Come True is guaranteed to haunt your dreams.” Bad Feeling magazine
“Thrusting you into the world of waking nightmares, Come True is a stunning feature reminiscent of Cronenberg and the most styled of terrors. It’s narrative keeps stakes low and it’s finale kicks them to the curb, so it never goes all the way, but it’s worth the blue toned-synth wave ride nonetheless.” CGM Backlot magazine
“Evocative and elliptical in its storytelling, as indebted to Douglas Trumbull’s Brainstorm as it is to John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness, Come True feels like a voyage through someone’s subconscious in the best possible way: I don’t know that it’ll work on you, but it sure as hell worked on me. (That said, the very last shot is kind of dopey.)” Georgia Straight
” …it all leads to an ending that has polarized other critics covering Fantasia, but that feels to be part of the boldness that makes this sci-fi gem so compelling, and fairly radical. Come True wants to be the kind of sci-fi movie that warrants multiple viewings, and gain a cult following. It deserves them.” RogerEbert.com
“Come True successfully explores its hi-tech subject matter with a down-to-earth vibe–the computer screens we see flicker like they used to in older movies–and there’s just enough exposition to allow us to understand the science while we’re constantly kept guessing about where the story is headed. Burns consistently does a lot with a little…” Rue Morgue
“We have not completely solved Burns’ puzzle and for those who want to dig deeper into his film there are layers to discover. At its most condensed Come True is a stylish and creepy sci-fi thriller, tipping its hat to some worthy predecessors. With a genuine creep factor it may keep you up at night and will definitely get under your skin.” Screen Anarchy
” …the fragility of the characters suggests a world in which no one feels safe either awake or asleep. Burns builds to a dynamic ending — tying together ideas and plot points we’d forgotten — while providing Come True’s biggest chills. While the final resolution may feel a little unearned and gimmicky, its a rare misstep for a film that largely works like a dream. ” Screen Daily
“Come True is a film that features some quite scary moments, particularly a mid-film set piece during the sleep study, while having an overarching narrative that is more in the science fiction and fantasy realm […] Even though Come True has an ending that would either make or break the film, it is still an interesting examination of the world of dreams and nightmares.” Sean Kelly on Movies
“The plot builds towards a finale that, while surprising and unpredictable, is unlikely to please everyone who’s come along for the journey through this dreamscape. And at key moments, the dialogue is not always quite so polished as the cleverly-constructed visuals and soundscape. But where Come True succeeds completely is in building an atmosphere of mounting dread…” Starburst
“The script neatly uses Sarah’s seemingly chance encounters with Riff/Jeremy (Landon Liboiron, Hemlock Grove, Frontier) to lead us deeper into the story. His enigmatic nature gives the film a good bit of its edge […] Unfortunately, Come True does try to go a surprise or two too far at the end. It’s not a deal-breaker, but the film would have been much better if it ended a couple of minutes sooner.” Voices from the Balcony
Release:
Come True is released theatrically in select locations and on VOD platforms by IFC Midnight on March 12, 2021.
Cast and characters:
Julia Sarah Stone … Sarah
Landon Liboiron … Jeremy
Carlee Ryski … Anita
Tedra Rogers … Zoe
Chantal Perron … Erin
Marla Renae … Intake Nurse
Elena Porter … Jannie
John Warkentin … Clerk
Christopher Heatherington … Doctor Meyer
Orin McCusker … Peter
Karen Johnson-Diamond … Ruth
Martin Kvapil … Hallway Teacher
Steve Tsang … Coffee shop patron
Skylar Radzion … Girl #1
Tiffany Helm … Old Woman
Filming locations:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Technical details:
105 minutes
Trailer:
YouTube reviews:
MOVIES & MANIA rating:
