Short: The Dollmaker (2019) Review

Directed by: Al Lougher
Written by: Matias Caruso
Starring: Perri Lauren, Sean Meehan, and Dan Berkey
Run Time: 9 Minutes
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqSmb3n0j8o

Synopsis

There’s a dead child. The dollmaker asks for his requirements: a lock of hair, and something the child cherished. He’s made a doll of the dead boy. 

The father thinks it’s stupid, but the mother wants to believe. She picks up the doll and it seems very much alive to her. It still creeps out the father. Inside the house, it’s a real boy; outside the house, it’s just a doll. Just one warning. The dollmaker says there’s only one rule: “Do not spend more than one turn of the hourglass with him. Ever.”

We all know what’s going to happen, and of course, it does, but there’s more to it than that…

Commentary

It’s well-acted and well-directed, looks great, and the dollmaker couldn’t be any creepier if he tried. Everything the dollmaker says is true, but the twist is really unexpected here. It’s really good.