Following their recent releases of Rent-a-Pal and Sator, Lightbulb Film Distribution continue to shine a light (pun intended) on incredible independent horror cinema with Come True, a hauntingly beautiful and frequently disturbing journey into what happens when we sleep.
When troubled teen runaway Sarah (Julia Sarah Stone) signs up to a seemingly innocent sleep study, she soon finds herself at the centre of a horrifying new discovery as her nightmares take on a life of their own. What follows is a mind-altering journey into a nightmarish world that is perhaps the most accurate portrayal of the haunting ambiguity of dreams and nightmares seen on screen to date. With eerily distressing imagery taking us into the colourless void of Sarah’s nightmares, the harrowing atmosphere of Come True is utterly mesmerising and unforgettable. The surreal, Lynchian visuals of the film are certainly its strongest point, but even putting them to one side, Come True still stands out as a masterful and slow-burning horror experience.
Backed by a hypnotic and foreboding synth score by Electric Youth and director PILOTPRIEST, the film is a disturbingly compelling journey into a living nightmare, both in the dreamscape and the real world. Taking place largely within the walls of the neon-soaked sleep clinic, the film’s central mystery and the study’s enigmatic purpose create a truly engrossing narrative while performances across the board are stellar – Julia Sarah Stone is incredible in the lead of the troubled teen, while Landon Liboiron is terrific as the mysterious clinician who takes a shine to Sarah.
The film is, at times, very ambiguous and eerie in its slow, deliberate pace, but therein lies its nightmarish quality that feels like something that Sigmund Freud would analyse for days. The layered and unsettling film demands rewatches to really put the pieces of its horrific puzzle together, while its haunting ending will linger in your mind for days after each viewing. It is a truly incredible film and a skilled, confident debut from filmmaker Anthony Scott Burns (AKA: PILOTPRIEST) that continues to remind us that original and thought-provoking horror is still enjoying one of its richest and most rewarding eras for fans of the genre.
This masterful horror is an essential watch for anyone looking to be spooked and compelled in equal measure, and serves as another jewel in the crown of distributor Lightbulb Film Distribution who continue to release incredible and terrifying cinematic gems. Billie Eilish sang “when we all fall asleep, where do we go?” – if the answer is into the nightmarish worlds of Come True, you will never want to sleep again.
Come True is available now on digital platforms, with a Limited Edition Blu-ray release available from 15th April, from Lightbulb Film Distribution.