Two couples in an accidental double booking make the most of their time together…or do they in this modern-day homage to Hitchcock and Shyamalan in Mary Gallagher’s first feature film.

A couple from Ireland, Finn and Branna, arrive at a rental house in San Diego. Upon their arrival, they make themselves at home. However, another couple, Tony and Gia, arrive at the house because they had booked the house as well. When they arrive, they meet Finn and Branna and all of a sudden, the couples realize that the owner double booked the house. With the house being two bedrooms, they decided to make the most of the situation and bond while staying in the house.

While Finn and Branna are enjoying their time, Tony and Gia aren’t exactly who they seem to be. Tony is actually Nick, who is helping Gia look to escape a situation as she offers him money to do so. However, when Nick’s daughter tells him of a scammer who robbed a fundraiser of its money. Nick puts two and two together and confronts Gia. However, that’s the least of everyone’s issues as at night, Finn and Tony both see a hooded figure around the premises, and they even hear a strange blood curdling noise as well. Is something afoot at this house and will the group be able to discover the truth behind the insanity?

After working as a political journalist and work on a documentary, Mary Gallagher makes her feature film debut on this film and there are loads of twists and turns throughout the made me glued to the screen. The film starts out as a bonding between two couples who are stuck in a home after a double booking. Then it starts to delve into the many twists and turns with the film feeling like a combination of Hitchcock and Shyamalan mixed with the supernatural.

The two couples involved in the film pull off some great performances. Gavin O’Fearraigh and Eirin Gavin are terrific together as Irish couple Finn and Branna. They are the completely level-headed of the two couples and make the most of the situation. The same can’t be said for the other couple, Tony and Gia, played by real-life married couple Steven Martini and Gabriela Kulaif. They come off as a New York couple with Kulaif’s character being from Brazil. However, once we see them alone in their room, the firt of the twists are revealed.

While the twists involving Tony and Gia feel like something coming out of Hitchcock, it is when we see Finn taking some edibles (you know what I mean) and begins seeing a dark hooded figure, which is blown off by the others because they think it’s because of the edibles. Soon enough, there’s more than the hooded figure when they hear a blood curdling scream as well. Finn believes it is a banshee, which brings to mind a sense of Irish folklore.

Holistay is quite a feature film directorial debut for Mary Gallagher. A meshing of Hitchcock, Shyamalan, and the supernatural all driven by the excellent performances of the four leads. Definitely worth watching and the end twist is a jaw-dropper!

WFG RATING: A-

Breaking Glass Pictures presents a Jet Set Pictures film. Director: Mary Gallagher. Producer: Mary Gallagher. Writer: Mary Gallagher. Cinematography: John Nicole Teodosio. Editing: Krista Leigh Pilling.

Cast: Gavin OFearraigh, Erin Gavin, Steven Martini, Gabriela Kulaif

The film will be released on Digital on July 25.