Sweet Relief (2023)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

When an online game called Sweet Relief takes hold of a small New England town, teenagers are forced into a sadistic game of cat and mouse. As blood begins to fill the streets, a close-knit group of friends must determine whether to proceed or to jump ship and hope for the best. 

The opening moments of Sweet Relief are mysterious, causing uncertainty on behalf of viewers as they attempt to determine the direction in which the film is headed. That mystery is quickly exonerated, as sudden shock takes hold of the reins and guides viewers through the remainder of this horror flick. 

While that initial shock does certainly feel far-fetched, there’s a level of validity existing within it as well. The internet has taken hold of us, society as a whole–and it has threatened to strip us of humanity and our ability to survive without it. Sweet Relief is effectively a satire, attempting to expose the issues surrounding modern technology and social media. While the film doesn’t employ the standard satirical comedy that we’ve all come to expect, Sweet Relief certainly sets out to analyze and criticize social media and its effect on the world. 

Again, Sweet Relief manages to creep into the realm of satire without using comedy as a vehicle for its delivery. The only bit of comedy that exists within the film is the sometimes whimsical score that cuts through the tension and provides some sense of relief in the more trying moments. These juxtapositional tones are the one glimpse into the world of satire, and that’s enough for the satire to remain present throughout. 

The social commentary that exists within Sweet Relief is what appeals to viewers; it’s the heart of the film. Beyond that, however, I found issue with some of the decisions made. Most of the characters feel spread out, possessing an insufficient amount of screentime, often causing them to blend into the background and struggle to make a lasting impression. Sweet Relief suffers from too many characters, hence why they are each effectively thrown to the wayside and given little time to fully develop. 

Sweet Relief employs simplistic cinematic techniques in order to achieve success. Camera angles work to develop suspense and reel viewers into the film. Furthermore, the tried and true techniques allow the film to become immersive (to a degree), almost combating the lack of emotional connection that viewers will likely experience with the characters. Sweet Relief, through its cinematography, is able to use that aforementioned suspense much like a character, developing something visceral as a result. 

The biggest issue present in Sweet Relief is the inability of this team to fully develop characters that resonate with viewers. We get pieces of the many characters at various points throughout the course of Sweet Relief, but never is a whole picture painted. Beyond this oversight, Sweet Relief manages to balance intensity and levity in a way that allows viewers access throughout–making the film a relatively succinct and effective satire of the ever-changing landscape of social media. 

Written & Directed by Nick Verdi. 

Starring Alisa Leigh, B.R. Yeager, Adam Michael Kozak, Lucie Rosenfeld, Jocelyn Lopez, Catie DuPont, Paul Lazar, etc. 

7/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE