Twilight Ride is the feature-length debut of writer-director Mitchell Brhelle. From a story by Jared Hutchison, the film begins when Derek Lacey (Drew Doyle) returns to his hometown after his brother goes missing. His mom, Norma (Astrida Auza), is too strung out to move off the couch, much less be bothered by her family going missing. While he used to be sketchy, since abruptly leaving, Derek has gotten himself together.
Unfortunately, the cops have ruled the death of Derek’s brother a suicide. However, Derek’s gut knows that isn’t the case. So he begins talking to all the dealers and lowlifes he still knows to get information. But the closer he gets to the truth, the more dangerous things become for him. Who killed his brother and why? What made Detective Marshall Lloyd (Adrian Parks) finally buy into what Derek was saying?

“…Derek Lacey returns to his hometown after his brother goes missing.”
Twilight Ride is an 88-minute breathless ride. From the prologue, wherein the audience sees the brother killed, to the wild finale, the story rarely lets up. Even when focusing on Marshall’s marital woes, there’s a kinetic energy to the proceedings. Peter Antonakos and Brhelle edit with precision, so even the more talk-heavy bits don’t drag the pacing down.
Doyle finds the right balance between haunted and determined. He’s easy to root for while not precisely being likable. It’s a tricky proposition but one the actor handles deftly. Parks is fantastic as the always-on-edge cop. Marshall’s slow belief in Derek’s theory makes perfect sense. As the big baddie, Ivan Swan is menacing yet vulnerable. Monika Meyer plays Marshall’s beleaguered wife with sincerity.
Twilight Ride might not be the most original story ever told, but it has a lot going for it. The directing is atmospheric and grimy. The cast is excellent and brings the dark underbelly to life believably.
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