A wife (Grace Darlington) and husband (Elijah Rodriguez) are in search for a house to call their own, guided by a realtor (Giselle Samson) through the process. The open house hits a speedbump, however, when the agent reveals something dark about the property.
Closing Day deserves props for getting a common horror cliche out of the way instantly. It’s always after people settle into their new dwelling that the area’s shady history surfaces and they are left fending for themselves as demons tear their home down. Writer/director Elijah Rodriguez’s short cuts right to the chase: a horrific crime was committed in the basement where the couple stands, not to mention a hidden figure (Laurel Brower) is watching from nearby, unsure of whether to approach them or not.
Horror shorts like Closing Day operate on a basic setup punchline routine. It’s absolutely a given that most of them end on some crazy plot twist, especially when the runtime is so abbreviated, with it being only 4 minutes. Subversion is what the genre ultimately thrives on and this short has that up its sleeve, albeit a pretty mild and recognizable one.
It doesn’t move the needle as far as recontextualizing its narrative goes, so you really won’t find yourself going back to look for missed details. It’s more a faint chill, less an onslaught of dread that its story may have suggested when it delved into such a bleak crime. Yes, we do in fact get a taste of the sinister incident in question but its presented as an unceremonious cutaway with distractingly shaky camerawork. Moreover, we don’t really connect with any of the characters, who’s dialogue is reduced to a serviceable dose of exposition about the neighborhood and housing costs.
On the other hand, Rodriguez manages to keep everything else stripped down and effective. Danny Dimicelli’s sound design stands out, capturing each frightened breath by a petrified Brower. Furthermore, the tight framing, ominous lighting and the cold blue walls of the basement really pop on screen, with the eerie soundtrack lending a potent helping hand.
You’ve probably seen a better iteration of Closing Day’s story in other works, but Rodriguez does right by a familiar premise in what is a respectable, solid slice of horror.
