What We Hide

Review by Ryan Michael Painter

I’ve been a fan of Mckenna Grace since interviewing her when she was 10 years old and starring opposite Chris Evans in 2017’s Gifted. Hollywood has a way of transforming children into miniature adults long before they should. She struck me as incredibly intelligent without sacrificing her youthful playfulness.

Eight years later, she now stars in What We Hide, a film that asks her to play a far more mature character. Would she be up for the task?

104 Minutes, Not Rated
Written and directed by Dan Kay

Synopsis:

After their mother’s fatal overdose, sisters Spider (Mckenna Grace) & Jessie (Jojo Regina) hide her body to avoid being separated by the strained foster care system. But with the local sheriff (Jesse Williams) asking questions and their mom’s drug dealer (Dacre Montgomery) lurking, their future becomes uncertain. How far will they go to keep their secret?

The film begins with Spider, a 15-year-old teen, and her younger sister Jessie discovering their mother has overdosed and died. Afraid that they will be separated, Spider and Jessie hide their mother’s body in the barn and attempt go about their lives to create the illusion to the outside world that their mother is still alive. A task made easier by their mother’s inability to keep a job. The only immediate obstacle being her drug dealer.

It’s a bleak story. It’s also a familiar one. Despite its strong performances, primarily from Grace and Regina, What We Hide is hindered in its second act by the girls’ ability to avoid suspicion. Sadly, it’s realistic in that Spider had already assumed the role of parent to Jessie. Their mother’s absence came long before she died.

At this point, the narrative leans heavily on a subplot focused on the budding romance between Spider and a young photographer who works at the grocery store.

Things begin to fall apart as What We Hide moves into its final act. Writer/director Dan Kay makes some interesting decisions. It might not be entirely realistic, but it feels plausible and satisfying. Kay’s script strays into dangerous, difficult situations and conversations that other films have avoided. Sometimes you must stare into the darkness to find a light. Sometimes the light finds you.

What We Hide stars Mckenna Grace, Jojo Regina, Forrest Goodluck, Malia Baker, Fernanda Andrade with Dacre Montgomery and Jesse Williams and is now available from your favorite digital retailers.

And remember, if the BEST thing you can say about a movie is that it’s “visually stunning,” then they’ve done something wrong.

Please don’t forget to LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW us on:

• Facebook (@vsmoviepodcast)
• X (@vsmoviepodcast)
• Instagram (@visuallystunningmoviepodcast)
• Threads (@visuallystunningmoviepodcast)
• YouTube (@visuallystunningmoviepodcast)

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to our audio wherever you listen to podcasts(https://shows.acast.com/vsmoviepodcast)

And please, if you like what we do, consider helping us keep on entertaining you. You can use this handy link: