Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Bayou Ghost Story’

Written by Scott Edwards

Confronting something that you have done wrong in your life is one thing, but should you be held accountable for something that your family did many years ago? As grudges can be held onto for generations in family lines, it is easy to see that nobody will remember how it even started. If you want to continue it, since it may be a family tradition you can chose to do so, but it is easier to let things go that have nothing to do with you. Being your own person makes you something special and you should not be held to something you had nothing to do with.

Heading down to the Bayou to find out what happened to his friend Byron Cane, Hassan needs to find locals that are willing to open up to him about the area. After Byron killed himself, Hassan wants to understand what drove his friend to do so. Arriving at the old Oak House where the event took place, Hassan is able to get a little background from the painter that was staying there but runs out of information after the man flees for his life from the house. Knowing that there must be something strange happening the house, Hassan stays there to become closer to the situation, but has no idea what powers the house actually holds.

Getting in touch with Byron’s agent Thomas, Hassan finds out that the great writer was battling writer’s block and needed a place to get his creative juices flowing. Winding up at the old Oak House, Byron was starting to get some ideas about what to do for his next novel, but he was also getting strange feelings from the house. Trying to find out what could be driving these thoughts, Byron was drawn to the oak tree in the front yard for some reason but had no idea why. Trying to find out if his family had some sort of ties to the house and talking to the local historians, Byron was let in on the curse of his family line and knew he had to find a way to fight it off. But it was too little too late when the voices became too strong for him to fend off and he took his own life.

Hassan has been able to find out some strange facts about the house, including the truth about an old myth that a young French Soldier was put to death in the front yard. As his questions start getting more pointed, he discovers that Byron is a descendant of the old LaMarque family that was very prevalent after the war and was also responsible for sending the French Soldier to his death. With a shady history surrounding the home, there are also questions about the LaMarque family that he needs answered, but they are dying off faster than Hassan is able to find them. Getting a quick interview with Byron’s cousin Eliza, Hassan is shocked to hear that she killed herself the following day. Knowing that the curse is real, Hassan decides that he will have to find a way to keep it at bay for the other survivors, but that might be easier said than done as the LaMarque family is becoming smaller and smaller by the second.

Interesting story to say the least and I was curious about how it was all going to be pulled together. The movie did a good job in mirroring the timelines that were utilized, and while I don’t like that kind of storytelling in a movie, it did not bug me too badly. Watching as Hassan moves from person to person for the stories, it is great to see the reactions of those that he interviews when he fires off more pointed questions. I liked the documentary feel of the movie, even though you don’t get to see too much of the inside of the Oak House while he is staying there. With a family curse, Bayou secrets, a big oak tree, a ghost hell bent on revenge and one alligator, it is a fine study into a dead author’s life that even he did not want to be a part of. Stay Scared.

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