‘Discover the truth inside the nightmare’
Adalynn is a 2023 American horror film about a young mother fighting to overcome postpartum depression, grief, inner demons, sinister impulses, and an unseen tormentor until her husband can return home from his business trip to help her.
Directed and co-produced by Jacob Byrd, making his feature debut, from a screenplay written by Jerrod D. Brito (13 Slays Till X-Mas; The Grass is Always Greener). Also produced by Malati Patil, Rich Varville and Straw Weisman.
The Jacala Productions movie stars Sydney Carvill (Keep in the Dark; Moon Students), Wade Baker (Airliner Sky Battle; Division 19), Janet Carter (Revenge for My Mother; Swim Instructor Nightmare), Rob Shuster, Suzana Norberg, Maya McGowan, Joshua Smith, Stella Wellington, Tomlyn Nicholson and Tiffany Garges.
Synopsis:
The plot follows a mother fighting postpartum depression and slipping over the edge. It becomes hard to distinguish where depression ends, and her nightmares turn real, as she and her newborn are haunted by a stalker unlike any other…
Reviews:
” …in a low-budget film, there are times when it’s impossible to discern whether something is intentional or the result of lack of funds. This happens here, it’s a key point, and it’s distracting. This aside, space is used wisely, Byrd gives us enough light to see in darkened scenes and manages a few jump scares. Adalynn isn’t wholly satisfying, but it is effectively disquieting.” Assignment X
“Adalynn (2023) will keep audiences guessing until the very end, and then some. There were some squeamish uncomfortable truths that this movie captured well: new mothers and having to battle new medications […] The phantom phone calls were disturbing and the self-harming may be triggering for some, but overall I believe Adalynn hit its own mark.” Pop Horror
” …we are taken along for a tension-filled ride by the central character’s frazzled subjectivity – but that still leaves the precise nature of the reality underlying her escapist fantasy elusive until the final reveal. Adalynn’s quest for perfection, long after its possibility had ended, brings to Byrd’s film a tragic hopelessness that is its true horror. For here, the trauma has already taken place, and the rest is just its agonising afterbirth.” Projected Figures
“Now there’s an original concept, postpartum depression done as a horror film. What’s more important though is that the concept actually works here thanks to a directorial effort that’s genre savvy but goes for atmosphere and suspense over spectacle, and also thanks to a clever screenplay that has a proper build-up with many twists and turns and a third act that puts everything on its head.” Search My Trash
” …splinters into too many component parts and false endings, ultimately, to hold together as a horror, or a fully effective narrative – even if it has some interesting moments, a good lead performance, and some competent, if lo-fi scares.” Warped Perspective
Release:
Adalynn was released by Summer Hill Entertainment On-Demand (VOD) and DVD on March 28, 2023.
Trailer 1:
Trailer 2:
Cast and characters:
Sydney Carvill … Adalynn
Wade Baker … Bill
Janet Carter … Cici
Rob Shuster … Dr Van Doren
Suzana Norberg … Grief Counselor
Maya McGowan … Anesthesiologist
Joshua Smith … Cop
Stella Wellington … Nurse
Tomlyn Nicholson … Doctor
Tiffany Garges … Nurse
Sarah Keene … Hospital Nurse
Micah Bennett … Bartender
Kimberly Ransom … Hospital Nurse
