WFG RATING: A
A Jacksonfilm production. Written, produced, cinematography, edited and directed by Mark Jackson.
Stars Tamryn Speirs, Scot Cooper, and Christia Visser.
When a couple picks up a mysterious hitchhiker, it will be a day they will never forget in this slow burn South African thriller from Mark Jackson.
Katherine is a producer of commercials and small films and Hugh is an actor who has worked for her and has a relationship with her. When they plan a weekend getaway as a means to not think about business, they come across a mysterious woman hitchhiking. At first, they leave her hanging. However, they soon realize they could be liable for something wrong is something happens so they make their way back.
The woman they pick up is Liza, who at first rebuffs conversation with the couple. However, when they learn she is waiting for someone and it could take a few hours, they offer her to have lunch with them before they drop her off. During lunch, Liza begins to get along with the couple but when her bag reveals a gun, an accidental gunshot causes the gas tank to leak and now, they are stuck for the night. Liza slowly sneaks her ways into the couple’s life, revealing some shocking secrets. When Katherine is convinced Liza is not who she claims she is, Hugh slowly begins to fall for Liza’s charms. Who exactly is Liza and what is her purpose?
Mark Jackson (not the NBA legend) has come up with a very tense film that brings in loads of twists, feels like a demented, eroticized Yojimbo, but then hits you hard in the gut with a shocking twist in the final minutes of the film. However, the reason to see the film sums it up in two words: Christia Visser.
As Liza, the titular “girl from nowhere”, Liza is the essential definition of “red flag”. She instantly gets the attention of Hugh, played by Scot Cooper while from the beginning, Tamryn Speirs’ Katherine, has her doubts. However, Hugh seems to have a heart as Katherine, because of her status, comes off as conceited at times. Even when she shows Liza around, she comes off as someone who talks about the value of things, like a nouveau-riche person. She tends to come off as arrogant too and controlling, but understandably in a way because Liza tends to attract attention in various ways.
The second half is where things really turn the heat up because there are times when Liza even goes as far as seducing Katherine as they dance outside the house and leads to a makeout session only to be interrupted by Hugh. This soon bring the Yojimbo style angle where Liza begins to play the couple against each other, and the final moments reveal some shocking things with Liza taking center stage with a jaw-dropping final moment.
Girl from Nowhere is a great South African thriller that churns out a top femme fatale performance by actor/singer Christia Visser. The second half and final moments are definitely shocking and unexpected.
WorldFilmGeek 
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