The Stream: Plot contrivances and dumb characters get annoying.

The Big Screen: Domhnall Gleeson and Julianne Moore give good performances.

The Final Bill: An engaging thriller that delivers twists and thrills despite its dumb characters and obvious plot devices.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Michael Pearce
Writers: Brad Ingelsby
Stars: Julianne Moore, Sydney Sweeney, Domhnall Gleeson, Fiona Shaw, Edmund Donovan
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Rating: R for language throughout, some violence and drug material.
Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes
Production Companies: Apple Original Films, Apple Studios, Black Bicycle Entertainment, Scott Free Productions, The Walsh Company
Platform: On Apple TV+ June 13, 2025

What’s up, Streamers!?! Is it too hot for you to even go out to the movie theater? I guess scroll on over to Apple TV+ from the comfort of your home and find its new release, Echo Valley. In this movie, Kate Garrett (Julianne Moore), who is grieving the death of her wife, struggles to keep her farm in Pennsylvania afloat to the point where she has to borrow money from her ex-husband to fix her roof. When Kate’s troubled daughter, Claire (Sydney Sweeney), who has a longstanding drug addiction, unexpectedly shows up in her home, Claire’s no-good boyfriend and a violent drug dealer are not far behind. Eventually, Kate has to deal with Claire’s debt to the drug dealer and an unexplained death. Motherly love and Intervention hijinks ensue.

Echo Valley has a lot of good elements to it. For instance, the remote setting of Kate’s farm lays the foundation for an ominous story. The mood is enhanced by the characters being isolated. While the farm looks expansive, it emphasizes how secluded Kate is. The editing is also really good as the film moves at a fairly brisk pace. Once the story gets going, there are very few lulls. It seems like every scene has its purpose either in building character or furthering the story. The acting is really good across the board, especially a menacing Domhnall Gleeson. He’s very hateable. In fact, the movie relies on the audience empathizing with Julianne Moore’s character – otherwise, you’d probably check out early considering all the dumb things she does.

Now, as I alluded to before, the biggest issues with this movie are the obvious and frustrating plot devices used to movie the story along. Kate makes some very dumb and unexplainable decisions. No real person would act like this, and that makes the movie kind of annoying. When things get too convenient and contrived in order to make the plot work, you start to lose your patience with the story. If the actors weren’t as convincing as they are, this movie would be a real dud. Nevertheless, if you are screaming at the screen because characters are doing something stupid, it proves that you are engaged in the story. That’s all that really matters, right? I was dialed in with this movie until the end, so I guess it got me.

Ultimately, Echo Valley delivers a twisty and intriguing thriller. The characters are very frustrating, but that is also what keeps the movie interesting. The filmmakers set an ominous mood for the film and deliver a tense story. Grab a bowl of popcorn and prepare for a lively discussion when the movie ends.