Opening with the mysterious start of a young woman on the run, New Life is both immediate and poignant as skillful writing throughout its running time navigates us from meditative thriller straight into horror territory, connecting two storylines in interesting ways. The film, with two characters holding in some pretty strong emotions dealing with secrets and the mistrust that it breeds, never once stops drumming its narrative beat as familiar themes are introduced in unique ways and developed in bold ways, creating an unforgettable and immutable voice for modern day cinema.
New Life, written and directed by John Rosman, has arrived. It will leave you breathless as genres are blended in captivating ways. It’s an edge-of-your-seat thriller unlike most and finishes in an absolutely amazing way.
To be clear, Rosman is a new cinematic voice to take note of. His feature directorial debut is an emotional rollercoaster as two separate stories come together in a manner which brings a fresh take on some tired tropes when it comes to the thriller genre.
New Life, with its apocalyptic musings, is exactly what it promises to be as a cat-and-mouse game between actresses Hayley Erin and Sonya Walger turns into nightmare fuel as tech warnings and corporate greed channels a movie which constantly subverts our expectations and rewards us with the unexpected story of two women whose lives are upended due to this journey of reinvention.
Putting characters first and foremost, New Life begins with a blood-soaked woman (Erin, Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, The Young and the Restless) on the run. She’s desperate to get out of the town she’s in, ducking into her own house for a change of clothes, but thrown off guard by sudden, gun-toting intruders. What she’s running from is anyone’s guess, but she’s definitely heading to Canada for a new identity. 
Adding to the characters is the fixer (Walger, For All Mankind, Lost) who is hired by an unknown figure (Tony Amendola, Annabelle, Curse of Llorona) to bring her back. It is a pursuit which will challenge any notion we might have of privacy and arouse sympathies in both female characters: one who is dealing with ALS and the sudden limitations of her body and the other who is trying to escape the very long arm of a corporation who knows no end to their financial strengths.
New Life made its world premiere at the 2023 Fantasia International Film Festival and quickly became a festival favorite, earning critical acclaim and continuing with buzzed-about screenings and stops at FrightFest London, Overlook Film Festival, Panic Fest, Florida Film Festival, Santa Fe Independent Film Festival, and the Heartland International Film Festival, where it took the 2023 Audience Choice Award.
Brainstorm Media’s New Life, the celebrated genre-blending horror thriller from John Rosman, is now in theaters and on demand in North America.
MPAA Rating:
Runtime: 85 mins
Director: John Rosman
Writer: John Rosman
Cast: Sonya Walger; Hayley Erin; Tony Amendola
Genre: Thriller | Horror
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote: "Too many people are too kind these days."
Theatrical Distributor: Brainstorm Media
Official Site: https://www.brainstormmedia.com/catalog/films/product/new-life
Release Date: May 3, 2024 (limited)
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: A mysterious woman on the run, and the resourceful fixer assigned to bring her in. Their two unique stories inextricably link, as the stakes of the pursuit rise to apocalyptic proportions.
