This atmospheric film about a cabin retreat has some interesting elements but ultimately feels unbalanced. A novelist (Suvari) brings her teenage daughter (Horvath) to a lakeside house in the Adirondacks, where the young woman encounters an attractive boy (Iwata). He appears pleasant and they bond over their shared interest in science, though he also possesses a peculiar quality. "What Lies Below," released in 2020, is skillfully constructed as a gradual drama/mystery set against the backdrop of the Northeastern woods. It shares qualities with "The Beach House," which came out the year before and featured Liana Liberato & Noah Le Gros, while also evoking “What Lies Beneath” from twenty years prior—though without any ghosts. Remarkably, Horvath was 25 years old when filming took place, yet convincingly portrays a sixteen-year-old. She delivers a strong performance, but the narrative gives too much attention to her character, leading to a sluggishness in the middle section. I would have preferred seeing Mena as the central figure, which naturally would require significant alterations to the plot. There simply isn't enough of her presence; however, she does have one memorable scene wearing jeans. She was 40 during production playing a mother who is 42. To enjoy this film, you need to be prepared for a subdued drama unfolding in a cabin setting with an unsettling atmosphere and accept a somewhat surprising ending that leaves things open to interpretation. Those seeking constant action or straightforward explanations should probably look elsewhere. The movie has a running time of 1 hour and 27 minutes and was filmed in upstate New York, specifically Hudson Falls, which is located on the Hudson River about an hour north of Albany. GRADE: B-

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