Horror Short Review: Closing Time (2024)

Written, directed, and edited by Spencer Keller, Closing Time is a horror short that comes in at just under eight minutes. It stars Adara Toop, Hailey Stubblefield, Raymond Power, and Aidan Keller.

Emma has arranged to meet her boyfriend at a local diner. She has something important to tell him (we see she is holding a pregnancy test), and her face suggests she is nervous. Arriving at the diner, she finds it mostly empty, and is surprised to not see her boyfriend there. This is because he had sent her a message saying he was going to be early.

Of course, she sends him a text, but while she waits for a response, she gets a weird vibe off the only other patron inside. Stealing a glance at a man with their back to her, wearing dark clothes and with a hood up. The bad vibe this man is giving off gets worse when Emma ends up going down a rabbit hole regarding local missing women, and the lone waitress of the diner confides in her that she is concerned about the hooded man.

It all seems pretty predictable, but Closing Time has a delightfully grim twist that elevates the entire watching experience. Which, even before this part, was highly enjoyable thanks to the professional look of it, subtle musical choices, and excellent acting. The latter part of the short is actually kind of scary, and the ending is impeccably done.

Check this one out below, it’s really good.