, Chase’s feature debut makes a compellingly spooky case for the destruction of all smartphones, tablets, televisions and laptops. Positing that the distracting nature of household screens has caused us to turn away from the responsibilities of family,mixes the too-real horror of modern parenting with the only-slightly-scarier horror of the supernatural.
Oliver, who has non-verbal autism, befriends a long-limbed monster who lives inside his many screens and wants to break out into the real world.Friendless and feeling the strain of his parents' deteriorating marriage, Oliver spends most of his time watchingon his iPhone and iPad, devices that also help him communicate with the rest of the world due to his non-verbal autism. Increasingly isolated at both home and school, Oliver just wants a friend.
John Gallagher Jr.'s performance as Oliver's father ensures his character is sympathetic without tipping over into pathetic.Chase’s vision might have been muted, though, if he didn’t top his cast with a trio of excellent performers. Jacobs, best known for her sharp comedic timing on television’s, brings a real sense of anxious compassion as Oliver’s mom, while Gallagher Jr.