Sundance Film Festival 2021 Review: John And The Hole

John And The Hole has an intriguing premise but it is not without its faults. It left me with a lot of questions, but I didn’t hate it.

John And The Hole was one of my most anticipated movies for the Sundance Film Festival 2021, but did it live up to my expectations? Sadly no. I expected this to be a creepy thriller that would have me on the edge of my seat the whole time and instead it was a whole lot of watching an entitled kid want to do whatever he wants. 

That isn’t to say this movie is all bad, because it isn’t. There were parts that I really enjoyed, I just wish it had been more focused. Throughout the film there are snippets of a mother telling a daughter a fable, called John And The Hole, which never quite fits in or makes sense. 

Toward the beginning of the movie young John finds a hole in the ground and asks his parents about it. Turns out it is the start of a bunker, but it was never completed. This gives John an idea and for some unknown reason he drugs his parents and sister, drags them into the woods, and dumps them in the hole.

He returns from time to time to give them food, water, and blankets, but for the most part he goes on living his life as a spoiled little boy. He uses the family money to buy whatever he wants, he drives his father’s car around town, and he leaves the house a mess with endless fast food restaurant wrappers.

What Worked With John And The Hole

The plot itself is very interesting. I love that this boy has decided he doesn’t need his family and dumps them in a hole. As the movie goes on, he starts to get lonely so he invites a friend to stay with him. This feels like a natural progression and I was really happy they included him feeling like the house as too empty. Of course he enjoyed the freedom for the first few days, but a kid needs their parents. 

When focusing on the family in the hole, the movie shows their progression as well. From anger and not wanting to eat what is brought to them, telling John he will be in big trouble, to enjoying themselves a little, and stopping to yell for help when they realize no one can hear them. 

What Didn’t Work With John And The Hole

Watching John come up with excuse after excuse to keep his secret safe worked for me. Although, the middle did seem to drag a little. My biggest issue is that John And The Hole is clearly a confused film with seemingly no direction. Is it a horror? A dark comedy? A thriller? Unfortunately, I just don’t know.

I was expecting this movie to be creepy and while it starts off that way, it quickly loses focus. I wasn’t really sure what genre it was supposed to be, and I don’t think the director knows either.

Every time the movie cut out to go to the little girl, her mother, and the “fable” I lost interest. This part is not necessary at all and takes away from the movie as a whole. Without it, the pacing would be much better. That whole part seemed bizarre and strange and completely off track.

Overall Thoughts

John And The Hole is not what I was expecting at all, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Not perfect by any means, I still enjoyed the movie as a whole. I was interested in the main story and eager to see what was going to happen. 

The cinematography difference between the scenes in the hole and the scenes in the house really helped to tell the story. The hole felt dark, cold, and scary, but also camaraderie with the family.  While inside the house I got the feeling of freedom, but also a deep loneliness inside of John. 

I won’t spoil the ending but I will say that it was a bit too ambiguous for me. I didn’t hate it, but I wanted  just a little something more. As a parent, I truly don’t think I would have handled it that way. However, I have never been in a situation where my child drugged me and threw me in a hole. 

John And The Hole has an intriguing plot even if it doesn’t have a lot of direction and know what genre it is. The ambiguous ending might leave many wanting more, but it is still a great film overall. 

About John And The Hole

While exploring the neighboring woods, 13-year-old John (Charlie Shotwell) discovers an unfinished bunker—a deep hole in the ground. Seemingly without provocation, he drugs his affluent parents (Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Ehle) and older sister (Taissa Farmiga) and drags their unconscious bodies into the bunker, where he holds them captive. As they anxiously wait for John to free them from the hole, the boy returns home, where he can finally do what he wants.