By Steph Cannon
One of the main tenets of karma is that whatever you put out into the world, you’ll eventually get back. If you give out goodness and kindness, you’ll receive it in turn. If you live a life of evil-doing, however, you have to be prepared to reap what you sow.
BYSTANDERS, written by Jamie Alvey, and directed by Mary Beth McAndrews, serves up a big, heaping dish of revenge served cold, with generous seasonings of karma thrown into the pot.
We’re introduced to Clare (played by writer Jamie Alvey) and Gray (Garrett Murphy) as they prepare to attend a wedding later that evening. The establishing scene is brief, but tells the audience all they need to know about this couple, which is that they’re seemingly average and unassuming in every way.
Cut to teens Abby (Brandi Botkin), Brie (Callie Kirk), and Ellie (played by director Mary Beth McAndrews), who are getting ready for a party held by a group of college boys at a remote cabin. Surely nothing could go wrong here…right?
The group of frat boys, led by entitled rich kid Cody (Bob Wilcox) are as stereotypical as can be…but that’s the point. They’re mixing a bathtub full of an alcoholic concoction when Abby and her friends arrive, and almost immediately, the girls are served drinks. They’re laced with a roofie-type drug, and all three are soon incoherent, waking up later after being sexually assaulted by Cody and his cronies.
What happens next is a twisted game of cat and mouse, with Cody and gang dragging Abby and her friends outside to further torture them. Though the girls manage to escape, it’s not without sacrifice, and Abby finds herself on her own, running down a desolate road screaming for help.
That’s when she crosses paths with Clare and Gray, who are on their way home from that aforementioned wedding. They stop to offer Abby aid, playing the part of concerned, comforting strangers. It’s at this point that the script gets completely flipped on what you think might happen. As it turns out, Clare and Gray aren’t quite who they seem, and their meek and self-effacing demeanor is merely just a front for who they really are.
The couple, along with the traumatized Abby, quickly form an unlikely trio, who are hell-bent on seeking retribution against Cody and his pals for the unspeakable violence they’ve enacted that night.
On the surface, BYSTANDERS may seem like your typical tale of revenge, but it delves much deeper by highlighting how people can be shaped by their trauma, and that no amount of time can completely erase it. Yes, this is a rape revenge story, and yes, it’s violent, but what makes it work is the uniqueness in which that all plays out.
As a viewer, you find yourself caring about Clare, Gray and Abby in a way that surpasses what they’ve all endured. They’re relatable and normal…and yet they aren’t. These nuances help to hold your attention as the night of extreme savagery unfolds.
Props need to be given to Alvey and Murphy in particular for their heavily juxtaposed portrayals of their characters. There’s something about Alvey’s performance as Clare that’s captivating, as she finds a way to nail a representation of someone who is traumatized, kind, and ruthless all at once. There’s also a subtle layer of humor laced in that gives levity to the heavier moments.
While it should be noted that there are depictions of sexual assault and brutality in this film, none of it is glorified. In fact, every single scene is purposeful, even those that are difficult to watch.
This is the directorial debut for McAndrews, and the film was created based on a mixture of real-life news stories, and personal events that the creators experienced. It’s an impressive feat that delivers a movie that, though challenging to partake in, takes you for a heavily layered ride.
BYSTANDERS is now available to rent or purchase on video-on-demand (VOD).