The Liars of Black Mountain Road

Directed by Parker Croft, The Liars of Black Mountain Road is a short film that begs the question: “why do we lie, and what is the cost of telling the truth?” Starring Nolan Gould and Millie Gibbons as couple Ethan and Abbie, the film explores relationship dynamics in the wake of an unfortunate accident. It’s a masterclass in tension, and is sure to have audiences on the edge of their seats.

Driving along the titular road, Ethan stops the car when he realises that he has hit and unfortunately killed a dog. He calls the owner to inform him of the accident, but trouble begins when Abbie points out that Ethan didn’t explicitly confess to being the driver of the car. Thus begins a heated back and forth, the couple ruminating on Ethan’s phone call and whether or not he was dishonest. Croft does an excellent job of capturing the couples’ silent gazes at each other, making the audience feel the palpable sense of awkwardness in the car. In this way, the audience becomes a party to the incident, free to make up their own moral judgement. The ethical questions are tantalizing, as the film invites us to consider how good of a person Ethan is, and how reliable his interpretation of the preceding events really was. Gould’s performance should be noted as he portrays his character with nuance; upset by the incident with the dog, yet stubbornly defensive over his actions, insisting that it was an accident that couldn’t be helped. Similarly, Gibbons plays the role of Abbie with precision, her eyes casting an accusatory stare in her partner’s direction one moment, and seemingly unable to look in his direction the next. It creates a vivid portrait of the couple’s history – perhaps this is not the first time issues relating to trust and honesty have surfaced. The wedge between Ethan and Abbie drives the tension up, creating a sense of dread as they drive towards the owner’s location. Who is the dog’s owner? Will he catch Ethan in a lie? How dangerous is he? Croft delights in asking these questions, sustaining a real sense of dread for an impressive length of time.

While the performances are excellent across the board, it’s possible that Abbie’s characterisation could have been more interesting. Ethan is depicted as complex, a three dimensional character with a truly questionable sense of self-awareness. Abbie on the other hand came across as too agreeable. Perhaps that’s my own personal bias, but I found her largely too passive for most of the film, and I would have liked to see that character make some more interesting decisions. Gibbons plays the role well, but I would have liked to see her given a little more to do beyond simply admonishing Ethan for the middle chunk of the short. I also think that the last act of the film could have been pushed a little further by adding a new element to complicate the narrative. Something to recontextualise the events that had transpired, or to give the characters a final new challenge. The film makes an interesting choice in how it plays the drama which I do admire, but there’s a risk that it may feel underwhelming to some viewers.

The Liars of Black Mountain Road is a confidently shot and well acted short film that should be lauded for its ability to deliver quality character writing within a tense and dramatic story. While it’s possible that it could have been further expanded in a few places, it’s an admirable film that asks thought provoking questions and invites fervent discussion.