A family moving away from the dusty, noisy city life end looking for a close-to-nature lifestyle is usually a premise that the horror genre thrives in. Until the same was explored in Matt Ross’ drama comedy, Captain Fantastic. Now the premise is to prop up Louie Gibson’s coming-of-age mystery thriller Manifest West for which Gibson has shared the director’s chair with Joe Dietsch.
This isn’t the first time Gibson and Dietsch are working together. The 2017 western horror Happy Hunting, also had the same director duo work their magic to rave up a frightening sporting event that an alcoholic drifter was subjected to.
Starring another of the Gibson siblings, Milo Gibson, Manifest West will be told from the point of view of a young girl whose life is uprooted when her parents decide to run from the burdens of modern life. Ironic how the parents’ idea of normalcy lies in the gritty wilderness of North America.
The promise of violence and fear that await, haunts the trailer that starts with the signature manipulation of the entitled parents–”home is where the family is”. Out in the woods, Dave finds kindred spirits amongst shotgun-wielding rednecks. A visit from the department of child welfare brings about the kind of revelation that starts off a chain reaction of absolute mayhem.
If we’re to go by the mastery the same director duo had shown with their debut feature that managed to touch some pretty intense socio-political elements while keeping the storytelling non-preachy – Manifest West will most likely involve grimmer aspects than the official synopsis and the trailer let on.
Manifest West Cast:
Louie Gibson’s mystery thriller stars his brother Milo in the leading role of Dave. Milo Gibson had made his entrance into the world of cinema with his father’s Hacksaw Ridge and went on to star in All The Devil’s Men. Mother, Alice, will be played by Annet Mahendru–the Afghan-born actress whose memorable performance as Nina in the FX period drama The Americans, made her a favorite amongst the fans of the incredible show and also brought her a nomination for the 2014 Critics’ Choice Television Award For Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
The Walking Dead star Michael Cudlitz will be playing Eric, and the role of Steve will be played by Tim Heidecker. Known for her role in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Lexy Kolker will be playing Riley, the daughter who is caught up in her parents’ mysteries.
WHERE TO WATCH AND STREAM “MANIFEST WEST” ONLINE?
The 2022 mystery thriller premiered on the 6th of February at the Mammoth Film Festival. After the festival release, the film is set to have a limited theatrical release in the USA on November 11, 2022.
For those of you waiting to watch it online, Manifest West will be available for purchase on Apple TV from November 11, 2022. As of now, the distributors haven’t released any information about online streaming but seeing how most of Samuel Goldwyn Films stream over at Hulu, you can expect it to be available sooner than later. Keep an eye on this space for any future updates about the same.
Watch Trailer Here:
Read More: Where to Watch and Stream ‘The Swimmers’ Online?
