Lyle, 2014

I actually caught a screening of Lyle at a Terror Tuesday event here in Austin a few months back. I’ve been looking forward to writing about it ever since. Lyle, written and directed by Stewart Thorndike, starring Gaby Hoffmann and Ingrid Jungermann, has been described as a “lesbian Rosemary’s Baby.” The film tells the story of a family who are struggling with grief after the loss of their young child. We spend the most time with Hoffmann’s character, and she truly carries this film on shoulders, giving a fantastic and emotional performance as she grapples with paranoia.

Just over an hour long, Lyle was shot in less than a week’s time. And, even with its quiet minimalism, the film is rich with emotion, delivering a tight, tense thriller. This film will surprise you in ways unrelated to its plot, which is strikingly familiar if you’re already a horror fan. But we’re here for the queer. Kristin Russo of autostraddle.com writes:

“You know what rules? What rules is when a movie has queer characters (Leah is married to June, played by F to 7th’s Ingrid Jungermann) who, instead of dealing primarily or exclusively with being-gay-gay-stuff, have to face everyday-life struggles such as terror, possession, and hauntings. Thorndike told Tribeca Films, “When I first thought of the idea for Lyle, I thought it would be interesting to make a genre film with a lesbian couple, where the story wasn’t about how hard it is to be gay. I really wanted that.” Lucky for her, since ghosts have been equal opportunity haunters since the dawn of time. Bra-fucking-vo.

Lyle is one of my favorite previously undiscovered gems of this queer horror marathon. I think anyone who finds it will be glad they did. If you’re looking for a short, quiet thriller on stormy day inside, give Lyle a watch. It’s streaming free on tubi and included in Prime if you’re using Amazon.