“Follow,” the directorial debut of Owen Egerton, features a small story about commitment and paranoia. The film doesn’t try to be big and brash and does a great job building a small love story fractured by tragedy. Although the script could use a few tweaks, the overall product proves Egerton is a competent horror director.

With Christmas fast approaching, Quinn (Noah Segan) awaits the next step in his life, which includes his loving girlfriend Thana (Olivia Applegate). However, after one bad night of foreplay, Quinn awakens to Thana dead from a gunshot wound and discovers himself holding the weapon. Panicking, he tries to hide his apparent crime as the guilt eats away at his sanity.

The majority of the film takes place in Quinn’s house, which makes the tension suffocating as he slowly becomes more and more unhinged and his girlfriend slowly decomposes. Segan’s performance equally elevates the terror, and he remains a sympathetic character even through the awful acts he commits. Applegate is chilling as the significant other turned corpse. She remains a huge presence in the film despite her character being dead, thanks to a series of well-executed flashbacks that build the duo’s relationship.

The film’s only weak spot is some hit-or-miss dialogue. Some jokes seem out of place, and some of the pillow talk between Segan and Applegate is hard to sit through. Otherwise, the film does a good job making the relationship between the doomed lovers genuine and heartbreaking.

For the small film that it is, “Follow” manages to pack in a tight story with a complex lead that takes a dark turn. Egerton proves himself capable of making a competent horror film, leaving audiences questioning what he’ll tackle next.

“Follow”

• Director: Owen Edgerton
• Runtime: 74 minutes
• Rating: 7/10 Basements