Barracuda is a 2017 American thriller film directed by Jason Cortlund and Julia Halperin and written by Jason Cortlund. It follows a strange woman coming to Texas to meet her half-sister and stake a claim to the family music legacy-one way or another.
Cortlund and Halperin breathe new life into a well-worn premise by creating two women whose points of view are equally valid, and then letting their conflict unfold without resorting to manipulative payoffs or simplistic resolutions.
Barracuda may not have the sharp teeth of the Hollywood nail-biters that have swum before in familiar waters. But if you're attuned to its slow-burn charm, it still offers some bite.
Though its slow-burn narrative doesn't pay off in a wholly satisfying manner, this offbeat nail-biter should nonetheless be welcomed by those eager for something off the beaten genre path.
[An] absorbing, mostly low-key thriller, which builds atmosphere, psychological texture, an ingrained sense of place and a needling undercurrent of dread.
As painful memories are unearthed, and loyalties are tested, directing duo Julia Halperin and Jason Cortlund effectively mine the fractured family dynamic for maximum dramatic impact.
A sometimes-riveting 'take' on the unexpected uninvited guest plot-line, grounded to the earth by the phenomenal performances of Allison Tolman and Sophie Reid.
