An Occult Thing Happened on the Way to Connecticut

MYSTIC: A MURDER MYSTERY (TV PILOT 2016)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

The opening shots of "Mystic: A Murder Mystery" show a young girl running around a park, narrated by presumably her older self: "Mom was always there for me. I called it Mystic." These shots build a certain innocence and unease.  A burning boat is seen at night. Voices scream on the soundtrack, one sounds like a girl screaming, "Help me, Mom, please! MOTHER!" This is followed by a John 14:19 verse. Murder mysteries can get Biblical but already the mood has settled in before the verse appears on screen. What we have here is "Mystic: A Murder Mystery," directed by Victor Franko, set in a fishing village in Mystic, Connecticut dealing with an Irish-American family and some deep secret that is only hinted at. Judging by the title that carries a double entendre, let's say it may have something to do with witches or the occult.

A young Irish priest has a sermon interrupted by loud thunder. Cut to the police arrive at a location where a homicide has taken place, for the first time since Christmas 2005. The two cops are unsure whether it is a homicide yet but they have a witness,  a girl in shock (Rachael Perry) held in a hospital after being found at a murder scene with her mother's body burnt to a crisp. The mother is Bridget Ashling (Tara Dion Machado) though we know next to nothing about her. A  painter of nude portraits, who is emotional over the death of Bridget, somehow convulsively paints a picture of the dreaded burning boat. There is also that creepy Irish priest who is seeking to provide communion to the young girl. The ghost of the dead mother caressing her daughter can send a brief chill to the spine. The aunt in one scene delivers an equally chilling, perplexing smile to the girl, who seems ready to vomit after seeing her aunt naked.

"Mystic" is a second cousin to the groundbreaking  "Twin Peaks," framing its individual characters in the town (councilmen, fishermen, bar patrons) within the confines of the murder of Bridget Ashling. Who killed her? I guess you could say the town is full of suspects and I've got my eye on the frightened daughter and the painter who is either overcome with grief or guilt. Either way, if the filmmakers can latch on to some of these strong actors (the young girl, her aunt, and the painter respectively), build up the mythology of the town and amp up the atmosphere, they might have one hell of a show on their hands. This pilot was shot in three days last November with the writer-producer, Frank Durant, already in tow with 30 episodes written and ready to be filmed. The pilot is being shopped around for a potential TV or web series. With the great interest in the revival of "Twin Peaks," now is the time to shepherd the mysterious strains of "Mystic" to the big leagues.