Significant Other (2022) Film Review

Introduction

Significant Other (2022) is an American romance drama and mystery sci-fi film directed by Dan Olsen and Robert Berk. This film stars a few actors and actresses like Maika Monroe and Jake Lacy as the main characters.

Sounds and scores for Significant Other is done by Oliver Coates.

Significant Other is distributed by Paramount +.

It runs for about 1 hour and 30 mins and English is the primary language used.

Synopsis

Significant Other tells the story of a couple that goes on a backpacking trip in the woods. They think they are alone in the woods but as events unfold, they learn that there may be something more in the woods.

A bit about Significant Other

Significant Other (2022) starts with a big red star moving through the sky.  

Ruth and Harry are young couples who decided to take a backpacking trip through the Pacific Northwest. Ruth is nervous about this journey, she claims to be more comfortable in the water so, the reason for her nervousness going into the ‘forest’.

Mike on the other hand claims to have done this trail a couple of times so he is quite familiar with it and assures her that it is safe and will be fun.

They embark on the journey soon after Harry reassured Ruth.

Ruth is wandering through the woods when she spots some unusual activity. Harry, who suggests it may be a deer, calms her down.

As Harry develops more feelings for Ruth, he chooses to take her to a clip for a beautiful view. He proposes to her there. She declines, not because she hates him but because she is afraid he may change and she is not prepared to deal with the change if it occurs.

Harry didn’t let this trouble him much. He resumed his activities despite being hurt initially. He tells her that he understands why she would reject him.

Ruth goes to relieve herself someplace near the woods one faithful day, only to uncover something unexpected that would affect her feelings towards Harry.

Significant Other (2022) Film Review

Wow, the time spent watching this film was worth it.

Let’s talk about the characters in the film. Shall we?

Maika Monroe is a memorable character in Significant Other. She portrays Ruth, as a terrified adult who did not have a happy upbringing. Ruth’s persona, a bold yet shy, inquisitive, overly watchful lady, is nicely portrayed by Maika.

Maika’s performance is fantastic. How she expresses her emotions – her pretense, her fear, her love.

The synchronicity between her words and her actions is also impressive. One of the things I look at while watching films.

She performed an excellent job in this film, and I anticipate seeing her in more prominent films in the future.

Jake Lacy portrays Harry. Harry is a cheerful, sociable, and amusing figure. Jake injects a lot of personality into Harry’s character, making him feel more real and likable. Harry’s character would be boring if he didn’t have a lot of personalities. Harry is an idealist.

His performance is incredible.

I like the chemistry between the two protagonists. Their chemistry as a pair is fantastic. When they disagreed, you could feel the strain in the relationship.

Moving on from the personalities, I like the soundtracks, noises, and songs. Oliver Coates’ art is outstanding.

The sounds and noises added to my enjoyment of the film. How it gradually creates tension, and suspense, and even presents its side of the narrative. Fantastic.

The film also does a wonderful job of making us feel uneasy in the woods, like there is something else around that we can’t see.

The scenery, lighting, and cinematography are all excellent. Significant Other is set in Oregon, notably Silver Falls State Park and the Oregon coast, which explains why the scenery is so stunning.

The setting is lovely on its own, but the lighting enhances it even better. I enjoyed how the camera angles were used, as well as the positioning and movements.

I enjoyed the editing and the usage of CGI. Excellent work.

While watching Significant Other, there are some things I anticipate happening, yet when they occur, I’m still taken caught off guard (in a good way).

Significant Other is a genre blending film. It’s first half kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next, but its second half had me chuckling and wondering whether it was genuinely a horror/mystery film. The third and last section of the movie poses several questions that, in my opinion, the rest of the movie leaves unaddressed.

Twists start to appear as the film is coming to a close, making it even more enjoyable. The director and his staff did a fantastic job.

Did you know?

Significant Other was supposed to be shot cheaply and with an iPhone.

According to Digital Trends, Dan Olsen said “During a lockdown in 2020, we began to compose this – Significant Other.”

“No movies were going into production, therefore the movies we were attempting to start were dead in the water. So we asked ourselves, “What movie would be the most COVID safety-friendly?”

“We had planned for the entire film to take place outside, in the woods, with just two actors” he added.

“Our first thought was to simply go out and film it for very little money to try to create the movie for no money at all. We wanted Maika, with whom we had previously collaborated, to join us as we played in the woods as we shot this brief video using our iPhones or other devices. However, it blossomed from there, and the more we worked on it, the more themes we found we wanted to explore in the screenplay.”

In conclusion, I liked the film and enjoyed it. From the actor’s performance to the settings, to the cinematography, and so on. Because of certain words used in the film, I would recommend Significant Other to any mystery film lover above the age of 14.

You can watch Significant Other on Paramount +

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