The Caretaker
July 2nd, 2026
MOVIE: THE CARETAKER
STARRING: BEN PROBERT, MACKENZIE LARSEN, SCOTT HUME, PG PEARSON, LAUREN SHOTTON
DIRECTED BY: LUKE TEDDER
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 1 ½ STARS (Out of 4)
RATED: PG-13
RUN TIME: 114 MINUTES
On the surface, The Caretaker is a capable, well-constructed production. It’s an independent film from the U.K. with a compact cast of five characters, a touch of mystery, and plenty of drama. But when the story is over, there isn’t much to enjoy. Writer-director Luke Tedder has an interestingly dark tale to tell and a strong lead performance at its center, yet when all the pieces come together, the result is a film that never conjures much real intrigue.
The story opens with the caretaker of Lockbridge Academy being alerted to something happening in the school’s pool. A mysterious figure appears, and the caretaking position suddenly becomes vacant. We then meet our protagonist, Eddie (Ben Probert), a mute man caring for his terminally ill mother while living in constant fear of the world around him. After she passes away, Eddie is offered the caretaker position, giving him both a job and a place to live. Little does he know the role comes with buried secrets and a haunting presence that makes it far more demanding than changing light bulbs in hard-to-reach fixtures.
The head of the school is Charles Aberdeen II (PG Pearson), alongside his insufferable son, Charles III (Scott Hume), and his daughter, art teacher Lisa (Lauren Shotton). The only other employee on the grounds is Marie (Mackenzie Larsen), an American who forms an immediate connection with Eddie. She’s remained at the academy after escaping an abusive relationship with Charles III, and the two bond over their shared loneliness. As their relationship grows into a tender romance, increasingly strange events begin unfolding around them. The mysterious figure continues to appear, the mystery of a missing student lingers over the academy, and long-buried secrets about the Aberdeen family reveal the darkness they’ve tried to keep hidden.
From a narrative standpoint, The Caretaker has the framework of a compelling screenplay, but it’s undone by sluggish pacing and inconsistent details. There’s a noticeable disconnect between the performances and even the film’s overall aesthetic. Probert’s Eddie resembles a grimy longshoreman dressed in clothes from the 1940s, while the Aberdeen family feels more like the unhinged wealthy clan from Ready or Not than educators running a prestigious academy. Meanwhile, Marie seems like she’s wandered in from a completely different, contemporary film, surrounded by characters trapped in another era.
Those inconsistencies extend to the setting itself. Although Lockbridge Academy features hallways and classrooms, there are almost no students, making the school feel more like an abandoned haunted house than a functioning campus. It’s as if three different movies are competing for attention: a repetitive ghost story that never delivers genuine scares, a theatrical family drama about the Aberdeens’ dysfunction, and a heartfelt romance between two lonely souls. The romance is easily the film’s strongest element, but it’s continually interrupted by the other storylines. The Caretaker ultimately forgets that sometimes less is more.
At nearly two hours, The Caretaker has all the ingredients of a solid supernatural drama. Tedder delivers capable direction, and the production itself is impressive for an independent feature. The problem lies in the finished product. With a tighter script, leaner pacing, and a more focused narrative, there may have been a much stronger film hiding beneath the surface. Instead, The Caretaker leaves you imagining the better movie it could have been, if only the filmmakers had taken just a little more care.
1 ½ STARS
THE CARETAKER IS CURRENTLY AWAITING DISTRIBUTION AND WILL HAVE A RELEASE DATE SOON.
Written by: Leo Brady
