With two shorts under his belt, writer and director Zeshaan Younas makes an attention-grabbing, feature film debut with the unsettling character-driven drama, The Buildout. Calling the film a feature is being liberal with the term considering its 65 minute run time, but recognizing the accomplishment of The Buildout is more than warranted. From the opening wide shot of a barren desert, to the details-blurred, motorbike-buzzing conclusion, this February 2025 release mixes stylized cinematography with captivating acting to tell a story about grief, faith, friendship and a bit of the unexplainable that will hit hard with certain viewers, but mostly likely miss with the majority of others. That’s not a knock on the film, but more a reflection on stories that end eerie and inconclusive.
The film centers around Dylan (Hannah Alline) and Cameron (Jenna Kanell), a pair of twentysomething women taking one last motorcycle ride into the desert before the former gives her rehabilitated life over to a religious undertaking. The pair play off each other in a natural way that makes it easy to believe their relationship to one another as they journey to the site of Dylan’s congregation's new ‘buildout’, which is nothing more than a small tent at this point. Their conversation during the trip is peppered with droplets of plot points - as well as cut away scenes to a pair of mysterious supporting characters - which delivers the story in a suspenseful and ominous manner.
The onion-like unfolding of the narrative might confuse some—especially when the supernatural aspects of the film come into play—but for a keen and focused viewer, the subtle details of the story will be appreciated. Nothing helps deliver this more than Alline and Kanell’s intimate exchanges, sing-song banter, and crescendoing relationship that ventures from fun and happy to combative and cruel as they encounter the unexpected and hard to explain miles from civilization.
The film’s cinematography is equally as impressive as the acting. From the captivating wide shots to close up inserts of items encountered in the desert, the use of landscape throughout the film is wonderful. One of the more interesting elements is the women’s outfits, specifically their motocross boots which against the rocky climate gives off the effect that they are walking on the moon or perhaps another planet. However, at times, the film gets a little too cute with its camera work to the point of taking away from the already thin and attention-required storyline.
For example, the ladies bring a handheld camera with them to record their trip. On the one hand, this is used in a clever, documentary style to reveal details about themselves, as well their relationship with Cameron’s deceased sister. On the other hand, the jarring shake of this handheld effect can be disjointing and begs the question of whether or not less (at times) would be more.
For those of a certain age, The Buildout will draw comparison to The Blair Witch Project. There are stark similarities between the films, including the handheld camera work and the inconclusive ending. While The Blair Witch Project was a phenomenon, The Buildout won’t be. Part of that is because of the time and barely-born-internet place that The Blair Witch Project was released, and part is because The Buildout isn’t fully fleshed out as a mature film. Again, that is not a knock on The Buildout, but more so a statement about Younas as a developing filmmaker who one would anticipate continues to improve and refine his craft into the future.
While viewers wait in anticipation for what’s next from the filmmaker, The Buildout stands strong currently as a 3.5 out of 5 star film that is a must watch for those who love independent cinema, and suspenseful tales.
How can The Buildout be integrated into public libraries’ collection development?
The Buildout is a fantastic addition to public libraries’ independent film collections. Its exploration of grief, faith, and friendship, combined with its striking cinematography and character-driven narrative, makes it a compelling choice for library patrons interested in thought-provoking dramas.