Katie Carman-Lehach’s Off Season unfolds like a whispered confession—soft, unsettling, and carried along by the lonely rhythm of a deserted shoreline. After her husband’s financial crimes destroy their lives, Sylvie Stone escapes to a remote beach house hoping for silence. Instead, she finds a growing sense of dread, strange noises echoing through empty rooms, and a green glow outside her windows that makes it clear she’s not as alone as she hoped.
The film leans into atmosphere from the very start. The quiet stretches of coastline, the dim interiors, and the way the camera lingers on Sylvie’s unease all build a slow but steady tension. There are clear echoes of The Ring, Dark Water, and The Others in how the supernatural elements are used—not for jump scares, but to reflect the emotional weight Sylvie is carrying. Elizabeth Lee delivers a grounded and thoughtful performance, often acting without dialogue as her character tries to outrun a past that keeps catching up.
At the same time, Off Season is a very controlled, deliberate film, which means it won’t land the same way for every viewer. Its slow pace sometimes works against it, letting certain scenes drift without much progression. Because the story stays so tightly focused on Sylvie’s internal experience, the plot can feel light, and the mystery behind the hauntings isn’t always as clear or impactful as it could be. Some technical elements—particularly sound and lighting—could be sharper to support the eerie mood the film is reaching for.
Still, there’s something compelling about the way the movie sits with its emotions. It’s less interested in explaining its ghosts and more invested in exploring the feelings that summon them: guilt, fear, loneliness, and the hope that redemption might still be possible. Even when the film feels stretched thin, its intention is clear, and Carman-Lehach’s direction shows a genuine love for quiet, psychological horror.
In the end, Off Season works best as a reflective, coastal ghost story—one that relies on mood over spectacle and invites you into its quiet, haunted spaces. It won’t be for every horror fan, but for those who appreciate a slow, atmospheric burn, there’s a lot to sink into within its shadows.
Jessie Hobson