The poster for Harry Sherriff’s Misper, his debut feature which premiered at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival, teases the film’s central mystery… “Whatever happened to Elle Pritchard?”
In a neat twist on a missing person case, or “misper” as the police abbreviate it, the story does not focus on the investigation but instead studies the impact the disappearance has on Elle’s co-workers at the hotel.
There is guilt from the co-worker who could have offered her a lift home, the indifference of the general manager who is more concerned about who will cover her shifts, and most prominently, an unrequited longing by Leonard, the hotel porter. These emotions are heightened by Emily Carey, who makes a lasting impression as Elle in a short space of time. Her absence casts a long shadow over the events that follow.
Whilst the investigation takes place and Elle’s fate is unknown, the hotel finds itself in a similar state of limbo. Both alive and dead at the same time. It may be cliché to use, but the central location, The Grand Hotel, is “like another character” in the film.
With the faded carpets and wallpaper that line the deserted corridors, and dining rooms devoid of residents, this is a place where time has stopped. As the camera slowly moves through the vacant hotel, it creates a naturally unnerving environment. Similar to that of The Overlook in The Shining. The Grand is stuck in time, and so is Leonard. Unable to process his grief (or is it guilt?), he tends to the ailing building… but struggles to venture into the dark, creepy basement for fear of what it might hold for him.
Samuel Blenkin (currently starring in Alien: Earth) plays Leonard with an alluring intrigue.
He can be sweet and endearing, but there is a darkness beneath the surface. The day before she disappeared, Elle (remarks to Leonard that she could see him watching her from the window as she arrived for work each day. An innocent infatuation, or something more sinister.
This blurring of the lines extends throughout the entire screenplay, examining the debilitating effect that a lack of closure can have on someone’s psyche. A feeling enhanced by using cinematography and score to develop an unsettling atmosphere that permeates every frame.
The characters may not find all the answers they are searching for, but the evidence for audiences is quite clear. Misper is an assured debut from Sherriff.
Misper had its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival
Rating: 
Director: Harry Sheriff
Stars: Samuel Blenkin, Emily Carey, Daniel Ryan
Runtime: 90 minutes
Country: UK
