★ 2 / 10
Howard’s Mill is a thriller that presents itself
BRizz 2
Howard’s Mill is a thriller that presents itself in the style of a documentary, and that’s exactly how it got me at first. I went into it fully believing I was…
Howard’s Mill is a thriller that presents itself in the style of a documentary, and that’s exactly how it got me at first. I went into it fully believing I was watching a real documentary. In the beginning, I was intrigued—the setting, the mysterious tone, the way it was shot—it all pulled me in. I thought, “Okay, this could be interesting.” But as the movie went on, things started to unravel fast.
The more I watched, the more I noticed the cracks. The acting began to stand out in all the wrong ways. Performances felt stiff, unnatural, and forced. For something that’s supposed to come across as realistic found footage or a genuine documentary, that’s the last thing you want. Instead of feeling immersed in the story, I kept pulling back, thinking, “Wait, is this real? Or is this fake?”
As the documentary “style” played out, it became increasingly clear that the whole thing was collapsing on itself. Scenes dragged, dialogue felt off, and the atmosphere that had intrigued me at the beginning started to dissolve into pure frustration. By the halfway point, I was so confused and distracted by the bad acting that I could no longer buy into what I was watching.
When the credits rolled, I had to look it up—only to find out it wasn’t real at all. It’s actually what’s called a mockumentary (or “mokudocumentary” as I initially thought the word was). And that realization just made it worse. Not only did I feel like I wasted my time, but I also felt misled.
Now, don’t get me wrong—the idea of a fake documentary or found-footage thriller can be brilliant when done right. I actually appreciate the creativity behind attempting something like this. The problem is, execution matters. If you’re going to sell the illusion of reality, then the acting has to be top-tier. The performances here were so weak that the illusion broke almost immediately. Instead of feeling unsettled or gripped by the story, I was left scratching my head, annoyed, and honestly a little angry.
In the end, Howard’s Mill had potential—it had the right concept, the right look, and the right opportunity to create something chilling and immersive. But it completely failed in the delivery. The acting was flat-out bad, the pacing dragged, and the believability factor was non-existent. If you want to watch a good fake documentary, there are plenty out there worth your time. Unfortunately, this one is not it.
Definitely not a recommendation from me.
★ 10 / 10
This clever "documentary" scared the you know what
Eric M
This clever "documentary" scared the you know what out of me, lol. I didn't realize it was a movie, kind of like The Blair Witch Project until it was over and…
This clever "documentary" scared the you know what out of me, lol. I didn't realize it was a movie, kind of like The Blair Witch Project until it was over and I started researching the case of Emily Nixon.
★ 1 / 10
This was such a terribly done “documentary”. Bad
Tamra L
This was such a terribly done “documentary”. Bad acting, confusing story that had so many holes in it. It COULD have been a good MOVIE. Should not be in the…
This was such a terribly done “documentary”. Bad acting, confusing story that had so many holes in it. It COULD have been a good MOVIE.
Should not be in the category of documentaries though. It will confuse people who are looking for something real.
46%
AUDIENCE
5.9/10
1.6K
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@CoppolaFan it's a mockumentary