‘The Exit State’ Review: Gabriela Ledesma Delivers a Wickedly Fun Horror-Comedy
Americans risk fleeing an authoritarian United States for Mexico in a political horror-comedy with intriguing characters, dark humor, and a terrific plot twist.
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| A driver hands documents to a uniformed figure in “The Exit State,” directed by Gabriela Ledesma. Photo courtesy of Poison Pictures. |
Americans desperate to cross the border into Mexico: get the irony. In director Gabriela Ledesma’s “The Exit State,” the United States is already under authoritarian rule, and a handful of Americans dare to flee south, reversing the familiar image of America as a destination for people seeking refuge. The film promises horror, thrills, and comedy, and at a brisk 93 minutes, it delivers all three without overstaying its welcome. Thank you, Ledesma, for knowing when enough is enough.
Ledesma introduces an ensemble whose personalities make us curious about their lives and invested in their fates. I wanted to know more about each of them, even with evil waiting just around the corner. There is fun before the crazy, as she allows us to enjoy their peculiarities and absurdities before their circumstances take a darker turn.
The travelers take refuge in a secluded mountaintop house run by siblings Vince (Josh George) and Claire (Callie Schuttera). Their property sits on sovereign land, supposedly offering the wealthy an escape from the dangers beyond its borders. Residence passes are difficult to obtain, and assurances that the travelers are as safe as they can be hardly inspire confidence. Safe compared with what?
Then there are the rules: phones must remain off until the travelers reach the border, although the cell towers are already down. That tracks, right? A secluded house on a mountaintop—what could possibly go wrong?
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| A tense moment in “The Exit State,” director Gabriela Ledesma’s political horror-comedy about Americans attempting to escape an authoritarian United States. Photo courtesy of Poison Pictures. |
Andrew (Clayton Farris) arrives with a full set of bright, matching, expensive luggage and refuses to surrender it. Everyone is trying to escape the country, yet he remains attached to his coordinated bags. The actor playing the transportation director is another pleasure, hilarious without appearing to try. The toothpick in his mouth is priceless. Such details allow the comedy to emerge naturally rather than forcing every laugh through dialogue.
Jordan (Nikki Dixon) is an intriguing presence from the first act. My one reservation concerns the casting of Cindy Nguyen as Zoey, the young journalist carrying sensitive footage of U.S. officials. The choice never quite convinced me, although it did little to diminish my enjoyment of the film.
Thoughtful framing, solid production design, and good editing give the film a considered visual approach and an assured pace. The sound design establishes a sense of place without hitting us over the head with it, while the editing leaves room for character introductions and comedic moments. Even the cereal box made me laugh. Kudos to the production design for that detail.
The exaggerated moments are intentional: this is also a comedy, and Ledesma earns the smiles and laughs without erasing the danger. Then comes the plot twist—and what a twist. Revealing it would spoil the pleasure, but it rewards the curiosity she has cultivated about these characters and their questionable refuge. Apart from my one casting reservation, “The Exit State” is a wickedly entertaining experience: funny, unsettling, and beautifully paced from beginning to end.
“Gabriela Ledesma delivers a wickedly fun ride—funny, unsettling and beautifully paced.”— Lapacazo Sandoval, AmNews Curtain Raiser
Film Credits
“The Exit State” (Horror, thriller, comedy; 93 minutes). Directed by Gabriela Ledesma. Written by Josh George, Gabriela Ledesma and Callie Schuttera. Produced by Gabriela Ledesma and Callie Schuttera, with executive producers Josh George, Lori Tanner and Andrew Evan Glick. Cast includes Callie Schuttera, Clayton Farris, Sharon Lawrence, Josh George, Cindy Nguyen and Nikki Dixon. Director of photography: Sam Wilkerson. Editing: Justice Parman. Production design: Lisa Garcia. Costume design: Lindsey Hufnagel. Sound mixing: Corey Brown and Jaime Fish. Re-recording mixing: Matt Schwartz.
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