Shannon Hurley gives a hypnotic performance in writer/director Emmet O'Brien's nine-minute indie short Almost Home, an immersive experiencing following one family's efforts to deal with the haunting final words left behind by a wayward daughter. 

The film centers almost entirely around Hurley's performance as Lisa, a sibling harboring guilt and shame and secrets and unaware if and how she should possibly unpack it all. Hurley's is a mesmerizing performance that practically envelopes the screen with an ache and authenticity that grabs you and doesn't let you go. 

A low-budget effort out of Ireland, Almost Home is beautifully photographed by Philip M. Connolly with a dark, shadowy intimacy that makes you feel Lisa's impenetrable isolation within her grief. Cami Gadea's original music is emotionally resonant yet never dominating of the film's dramatic landscape. O'Brien's words here feel natural and authentic, their fullness brought to life by Hurley yet their honesty a clear indicator that O'Brien understands the journey of loss and grief in ways both intimate and universal. 

Having already screened at multiple indie fests, Almost Home will most assuredly continue to find success on the indie fest circuit with an involving story and a structure that is uniquely driven almost entirely by Hurley's unforgettable monologue. 

For more information on Almost Home, visit the website of production company Deep Red and watch for it at a festival near you. It's one you won't soon forget. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic