Film Review: Uneven Deception (4/10)

Ari Brisbon
Dec 16, 2025
5 min read

Careful who you let in...

Ok... here we go. Uneven Deception is a drama/thriller written and directed by Nachela Knox that tries to tackle the dangers of modern privacy. Starring Epiphany Anderson, Lester Greene, Zina Crook, and Jon Blaq, the film sets up a classic home invasion dynamic. Desiree, played by Anderson, gets some help with a new security system installed at her home, courtesy of her overprotective mother. Little does she know the system hides an earth-shattering secret: Patrick the technician, played by Lester Greene, is a stalker with sinister intentions.

It’s a terrifying premise on paper, but in execution? A cringy start indeed.

STORY (1/2)

The story being told here is actually a terrifying thought: unknowingly trusting someone we pay for a service to do their job, while at the same time barely looking them in the eye. It taps into a very real fear.

I found it interesting and daring that Knox chose to tell this through the lens of social influencer work. Desiree is living life day-to-day as if it’s normal to have the world watching everything she does. It makes you ask yourself: How much of myself have I put out on social media? Who is really watching? It most certainly sets an uncomfortable and eerie setting for Desiree, who is already dealing with a traumatic past and a rocky relationship with her mother. Being paired with a creepy system technician watching her every move layers on the tension.

Honestly, I am a true fan of thrillers, and this story sets a standard for what I call "new age cringe films." There are enough endowments to the story alone to make it an interesting watch, largely because the concept of privacy invasion is so relevant right now.

VISUALS (1/2)

For the most part, the visual quality was easy to look at—nothing fancy, but functional. However, it definitely gave the feeling that it was shot totally on an iPhone instead of a professional digital cinema camera. The depth of field just wasn't there.

I personally expected to have more still, wide, and panoramic shots for such an intense concept to establish the isolation of the house. This film deserved more attention to the quality of the angles and the positioning of the characters. You have to treat the camera as if it is an actor as well, painting and telling the story alongside the cast. At some point towards the middle of the film, I actually thought my screen was glitching—then I realized it was the movie itself. I can’t tell you how much that took me out of the suspension of disbelief. When watching thrillers, the visuals are a part of the story just as much as its characters.

There was just no sense of environment; locations can mean everything in a film such as this, and unfortunately, it felt flat.

SOUND (1/2)

The sound was probably the best part of this film. It carried the suspenseful tension throughout when the visuals couldn't. Beginning with soft R&B that built a false sense of comfort, it moved to dramatic transitions that had no sound at all—which I felt was key in movies such as this. That silence creates a hair-raising effect.

There were moments where I felt it might have been unbalanced, specifically during the interactions on phone calls. There was no separation of the audio from the visual; instead, it felt like the actors were speaking directly into the camera rather than over a line. However, I felt the music complimented the energy more than the emotion of the film, keeping the pace moving. The overall sound was a benefit to the film. The standout for me was towards the end where it needed the climatic ambiance, and I feel the sound department really got the job done there.

CHARACTER (0/2)

Anderson portrayed the charming, bubbly, yet naive Desiree, who always had a smile of optimism plastered on. She did a great job at playing the person keeping everything together on the outside while falling apart inside.

Patrick, played by Greene, was the obvious antagonist. However, there were odd times of misplaced comedic humor with him that wasn't clear if it was intentional or accidental. I didn't feel his energy was the right pick to convince me he was a true threat; however, he played the "creep" factor very well. He tilted the scales, but it still felt like he was missing something to make him truly terrifying.

Wilson, played by Jon Blaq, might've been my favorite character. It was rare for me to see comedic relief work in a film like this, but I felt his character was real and true. I also personally felt that Tasha, played by Zina Crook, had the most emotional development within the story that felt honest. Considering the battered past between her and Desiree, Tasha ultimately has a dramatic break in her journey that grounded the film.

FACTOR X (1/2)

In a lot of ways, this movie had all the influences of One Hour Photo and Fear. It plays on that idea of having intimate relations with someone you don't quite know—allowing your representative to be your identity while you hide who you really are to protect the inner pain you feel. This film touches a lot on the human psyche and how far we all are willing to go to have self-gratification or safety.

I encourage you, if you decide to watch, to go with the intention of understanding what this film is trying to tell you instead of just what it shows you. There are certain times some lines hit home and may make you reconsider who you invite into your house. Then, there are moments where you feel like an actor didn't hit that emotional transition that was definitely called upon, or you felt a scene should've happened differently. There are some films such as this that need a "nurturing audience"—you have to take your time with it and not have high expectations, because they can often lead to resentments. Go with an open mind and heart.

All in all, you're going to see something different when you watch this film. In comparison to The Forbidden and Mirrored, you will definitely be wondering what happens next, even if the ride is a bit bumpy. If you're ready to just kick back with your partner, get the popcorn ready and a comfy blanket, and go watch it on Tubi.