Silhouette Review [Movies Based on Insane True Stories]

There are plenty of movies based on true stories, and Silhouette is based on the true story of Darlie Routier. The film chooses a dark and psychological horror-thriller angle to narrate from. Does the main antagonist Jack kill women? Yes, yes he just might. But this story is based on a different killer. Mitch McLeod received a lot of praise at Bare Bones International Film & Music Festival. He also won appraise at Fort Worth Indie Film Showcase 2019. See the sealed spoiler section below for more details.

Silhouette is from Absentia Pictures and ITN Distribution. There is even a report of an incident involving a walk-out at one of the festivals. Having seen the film, I can say the final act has some disturbing scenes.

What is the Silhouette Movie About?

The story in Silhouette movie describes the tale of Jack and his wife Amanda. For the first act, scant details are given about what’s happened between the pair. We learn that Amanda is haunted by her daughter. The pair have scurried away to start their lives somewhere new for unknown reasons.

Silhouette is a slow burn. I found it difficult to stay invested. This was due to the limited scope of the characters. None are particularly likable nor fleshed out enough to really understand what’s going on for a good while. Superficially, it seems like a story about a grieving couple. Each has a different way of coping with their lot in life.

Amanda & Jack

Amanda played by April Hartman (Howlers 2018) has a convincing presence on-screen, however, her anguish becomes overwrought at times simply because we already know she is grieving but it plays out the same way through much of the film. Her husband Jack seems quite slimy; irrespective of the story he tells the women he meets. This normally would be enough to engage my interest. However, rather than focusing on his story or her story, the emphasis is on arguments about Jack’s whereabouts, insinuations, and the occasional paranormal incident. For some, there is speculation that Jack is killing women. The way this story is told, however, it’s really hard to tell.

Looking for more True Crime? Watch Woman of the Hour (Netflix) | Lyvia’s House | The Lincoln Lawyer | Bleeding Love or Nancy next.

Movies Based on True Stories

The film is darkly lit and saturated in shade for much of the lengthy run-time. With the budget made on the lighter side of $25,000, if there were any limitations in the production of the film, you wouldn’t know. Despite my unwillingness to be patient with the pace, it feels purposeful in its delivery.

There are a couple of poignant scenes with conversations between Jack and Amanda which eventually highlight the twist to the story. However, I was prone to thinking that Amanda was simply caught between having a severe mental concern brought on by her husband’s many infidelities and the death of their child.

Inspired by A Real Crime Story About Darlie Routier

I was particularly surprised to discover the story is inspired by actual events that happened in Rowlette, Texas in 1996. Therefore, I have a sealed section for those looking for more information at the end of the write-up. The case stands today as an unsolved mystery nearly 20 years later with Darlie Lynn Peck Routier still fighting for her freedom. Her story has been a part of numerous television shows such as Forensic Files, Unsolved Mysteries, and 48 Hours. Check out this clip on YouTube about the Darlie Routier murder case.

As a matter of fact, the climax of the film and the nature of the unsolved mystery, caused me to be conflicted. To clarify, I have no issue with the meshing of film and true crime. However, this one just left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied.

I give Silhouette

2 movies based on an unsolved double homicide out of 5

Spoiler and Explanation for Silhouette Movie