I See You (2019) is a Mindbending Mystery-Thriller

This is the best! They have no idea that we’re here.

I See You snuck into theaters in 2019. The police investigate the case of a missing boy. In the middle of marriage problems that break the Harper family apart, strange things happen in their household.

My advice to you right now is do not look up anything before viewing this movie and only watch one minute of the trailer. I had no idea what to expect from I See You and I was left with my mouth hanging open at this stupendous storytelling-telling technique. While it is a well-made film, some aspects of I See You were inconsistent with the story.

The Harper family is suffering from strains and past mistakes. Despite attempting to pick up the pieces it’s going to take a lot more than words of forgiveness to move past things.

The Harpers are played respectively by Helen Hunt, Jon Tierney, and Judah Lewis. They all delivered effective performances. Hunt overdramatized her performance at times. I didn’t find some of her reactions believable.

The real standouts of the movie are Owen Teague and Libe Barrer. I cannot give much information on their characters, but they were excellent. I have seen some of Teague’s exceptional performances. I was happy when I found out that Barrer had two short appearances in iCarly episodes.

Teague and Barrer made their dynamic so genuine that I wanted to know more about their character history. Their characters have several nuances which were dictated well by the actors. Viewers are going to have mixed opinions about their characters, specifically their intentions.

One of the strongest aspects of I See You is the editing which is done incredibly by Jeff Castelluccio. Editing is the most important aspect of any film. I See You is a completely different film in the second viewing. Any thriller film should incorporate this element to throw viewers off.

Another highlight of I See You is the ghostly cinematography. The way the camera looms throughout the house adds to the level of eeriness. You are not alone. The film also cleverly balances suspense, mystery, and psychological elements. The script is compelling incorporating realistic dialogue, adding authenticity to the characters and their interactions.

Let’s talk about the twist. For some viewers, this is where they lost interest. I sat forward in my seat. Granted, it took me out of the movie for just a minute because it’s suddenly introduced, but it makes sense of elements that have already happened in the story.

As clever as the twist is it doesn’t come without its flaws. Certain segments of the film could have benefited from tighter editing to maintain consistency. There are too many surprises. The plot is over-complicated and there’s uneven character development.

Alec (Teague) is the best example of this. With the conniving plan he and Mindy are up to, Alec takes things too far even performing acts that could potentially harm other characters. But then with revelations, his character has a quick transformation.

Despite this, I enjoyed this film more than most viewers did, surprisingly. I See You is something different and unexpected. This movie challenges viewers. Sure, Adam Randall overdoes it with his direction of the twist, but I was not expecting it. The trailer keeps it hidden so well. I miss trailers that don’t spoil their movies.

You should watch I See You on Netflix this October. I See You is a suspenseful film. Everyone will have a different opinion on it. Just have fun with it and try not to ask the screen too many questions.