Fans of claustrophobic, moody chamber-piece thrillers will find much to enjoy in Laced, the feature film debut from Kyle Butenhoff, who also appears in the film as the victim of what, at first blush, might appear to be the perfect crime. Those who prefer a bit more action and pace might find their attention wandering. Molly (Dana Mackin) and her husband Charlie (Blutenhoff) are holed up in an isolated cabin as a ferocious snowstorm rages outside. They’re not exactly trapped, but they’re not inclined to leave either. There’s some tension between the two, but it’s only when Molly laces Charlie’s food with poison that we realise their relationship isn’t exactly a match made in heaven. There’s a history of toxic abuse here (although the film could perhaps have made a few more efforts to make Charlie into more of a bastard as he doesn’t seem too unreasonable – a bit boorish, maybe – when we meet him), and we find out what Molly has conspired with her lover Victoria (Hermoine Lynch) to remove the one obstacle standing in the way of them being together. But when Molly’s brother Austin (Zach Tinker) arrives, battling his way through the storm to join the couple, Molly and Victoria’s plans quickly go off the rails and spin out of control…

Laced is not without interest and atmosphere, but the story unfolds at a snail’s pace, the characters aren’t hugely sympathetic, and the single locale quickly becomes stifling and restrictive. As an exercise in low-budget filmmaking, it has its moments (and a couple of jump scares), and it finds a much-needed fresh energy in the last act, but ultimately, it comes across as a better proposition for a stage play than a film.

LACED is available on digital platforms in the US.