First-Time Filmmaker fetes “WHAT HAPPENED AT 625 RIVER RD”

Two young women take a trip to New York. Or do they? Something happened at 625 River Road. Whatever it was remains a disturbing mystery.

Promising Debut

The horror thriller “What Happened at 625 River Rd” is the first feature film from veteran music video and commercial director Devon Jovi Johnson. If this slow burn shocker is any indication, he’s just gettin’ on a roll.

Filmmaker Devon Jovi Johnson and actress Francheska Pujols on set.

Not your run-of-the-mill scary movie fare

Mental Health. Reckless lawmaking. Dangerous family dysfunction. Not the stuff of your typical horror flick. Johnson tackles these issues and more in the story that fuels “What Happened at 625 River Rd”.

When friends fall out

Francheska Pujols is among a cast of mostly rookie film performers. Pujols brings to her character, Laura, a heartrending longing for friendship. She sees in fellow college student Kelly (Summer Foley, a dead ringer for supermodel Cindy Crawford) a close companion for life. Or, ideally, even more.

Laura wants Kelly all to herself. Demands it. Kelly does not reciprocate such commitment. Hence, there is little opportunity for these two women to sustain a lasting relationship. Laura is devastated at this reality.

The prospects of any manner of an amicable parting of the ways are not favorable.

Reckless lawmaking

Johnson presents an enormously unsettling scenario in his film. Mentally ill patients are released en masse upon the public due to “overcrowding” of treatment facilities. By decree of law.

Far-fetched? Perhaps.

Still, consider for a moment the actual and inexplicably abhorrent decisions made by those in positions of governmental and judicial authority across the U.S. in recent years. Is this alarming premise then so completely unimaginable?

What do you think?

Lingering childhood trauma

Most of us have happy childhoods. At least relatively speaking. Regrettably, many of us do not.

Johnson’s story gives us adult siblings. A sister and brother. This pair did not know a carefree life as kids. Far from it. And they have not overcome the gnawing pain that persists even today.

Again, what we witness in terms of frightening family loyalty here may be out of the realm of our comprehension.

But it is an undying reality for far too many.