Blaise and Nessa are outcast methadone users in their small town. Each day they push a rusty lawnmower door-to-door begging to cut grass. Nessa plots an escape, while Blaise lingers closer to collapse. Tethered to one another, their getaway dreams are kept on a suffocatingly short leash.

Although her debut feature’s title might suggest a horror movie, Ashley McKenzie’s approach to the tricky subjects of addiction and codependency is no lurid spectacle. Subtly conveying character nuances through textured close-ups, this stylistically bold drama is rich in empathy and atmosphere.