The Vigil (2019)
Directed by Keith Thomas
Starring Dave Davis, Malky Goldman, Menashe Lustig, Lynn Cohen

When this screener came across our desk and I read what the story was about, I was excited to see a different take or angle on a subject used many times in the horror genre, one taken from a Orthodox Jewish side. A troubled young man agrees to be an overnight “shomer”, someone who watches and prays over a recently deceased member of the church. With such a simple story, I was curious to see what this picture could offer. What I found out was that no matter the background, religious beliefs, or any of that, the feelings of guilt, horror, and creepiness can be found all around us.

Dave Davis plays the distressed young man, who is short on money, agrees to do this thing for an old friend and member of the Orthodox Jewish community he used to belong to. He has left those ways after a tragic incident and is still fighting with that memory, that we learn more and more about it, and him, in flashbacks during the film. That is the basis of the whole movie, dealing with guilt and coming to terms with it. Davis pretty much carries the whole film on his shoulders and carries it quite well. A good chunk of the film he is not in a good emotional place, and has to continue to show that throughout the night. Lynn Cohen, playing the widow of the deceases also does an amazing job with the minor role she has, still making quite the impact.

Writer/director Thomas has done a great job here building tension and suspense is a story taking place during one night and in pretty much one location. He gives us a story about what haunting can really be about, not necessarily from a ghost of a dead man, but from something from our own past that we just can’t seem to let go of. Davis’ past is doing just that, causing other issues in his life, keeping him from moving on. I really liked how Thomas developed this issue, weaving into a situation that most of us wouldn’t know about, but can still relate to it, and realizing its significance.

For his feature debut, Thomas has made something that I think will resonate with all viewers, no matter their faith or beliefs, because the true nature of this film transcends all of that, and can still make an impact.