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HUMAN RESOURCES (2021)
3 stars
Miracle Media. Digital. Out Now
Brooke’s Hardware is a typical store of its type – aisles and aisles of disparate goods. When one of its employees – Keith Barren (Angel-Mika Hilton) – goes out the back, to the storage area, to find something, he ends up dead after hearing a strange noise.
With Black Friday upcoming, one of their busiest times of the year, they are desperate for staff. Sam Coleman (Hugh McCrae Jr) really needs a job, with his car full of rejections. Despite his absolute lack of experience he is hired by the store. In fact the phone call he gets from Gene (Anthony Candell) asks him to start the same day.
Sam is given a tour and his name badge. His name is spelt wrong but he doesn’t care as he is so keen to impress. He also meets Sarah (Sarah José), who gives him some cursory training and leaves him to it. Not that it is busy.
It isn’t long however before Sam starts to notice strange things. On his way out after work he goes past Gene’s office and he appears to be zoned out. Very odd. In the back stock area, he notices an unknown liquid dripping onto the floor. A creepy customer just staring at the fertiliser. Weird noises in the storeroom.
Then Sam finds the notebook of Keith, which confirms his suspicions, and includes the note ‘There’s something horrible in this store…’ He shows Sarah, who knew Keith – apparently he just didn’t turn up one day. They decide to investigate just what is going on.
What is being hidden? Is it a conspiracy of some kind? Who in the management knows?
The most impressive thing about this low budgeter, is the fact that director Braden Swope was only 19 when he made this movie. He also co-wrote it with Evan Swope, plus edited the production.
Hugh McCrae Jr makes for a personable if over agitated lead, and is well supported by Sarah José. Also notable is Anthony Candell as the amusingly over keen manager.
The film itself could have done with some tightening in the editing and it takes too long to get to nub of the plot. It uses the limited location well. The bloody finale is mainly kept in the dark or the red glow of a lamp so as not to show too much as I suspect monetary constraints came into play.
Steve Kirkham
