Tether Movie Review: A Quiet Storm of Grief and Guilt
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
It’s been three years since Leonard lost his daughter in a school shooting. Still inconsolable, he finally begins therapy, hoping to reconnect with his estranged wife and start anew. But when he runs into Gerald, a former school resource officer who was present during the tragedy, Leonard becomes consumed by rage, blaming him for failing to protect the children. What begins as a chance encounter spirals into a dark tangle of obsession, fear, guilt, and unresolved grief between the two men in 2025 film ‘Tether’.
Directed by Hariharasudhen Nagarajan and written by Anghus Houvouras, ‘Tether’ is a slow-burn psychological drama about trauma, emotional repression, and the human need for closure. Nick Giedris plays primary protagonist Leonard, the grieving father, whose anguish and anger is directed at Gerard (Ben Burton), the man who couldn’t contain the school shooting.
The first act of ‘Tether’ efficiently sets up the fractured dynamic between Leonard and his wife Amanda (Joanna Cretella), with their conversations teetering between frustration and detachment. Leonard’s reluctance to move forward has left Amanda emotionally drained, and her threat to walk away is what finally pushes him toward therapy. There, a composed yet empathetic mental health professional (Laura Faye Smith) helps him peel back layers of guilt and trauma. In a coincidental twist, Gerard, still haunted by the day he failed to act, also begins sessions with the same therapist.
The first half of ‘Tether’ employs minimal background music, relying instead on white noise and quiet tension. This minimalism enhances its bleak tone, though viewers expecting a more conventional psychological drama might find the silence slightly unsettling. The cinematography leans on long, lingering shots that center the actors’ expressions, underscoring the emotional gravity of their grief. Interspersed throughout are old home video clips of Leonard’s daughter, tender, sunlit memories that break the oppressive mood and remind us of what was lost. These moments are among the film’s most affecting.
What ‘Tether‘ does compellingly is offer two deeply human responses to tragedy. Leonard channels his sorrow into blame and obsession, while Gerard internalizes his failure, spiraling into shame and self-loathing. Ben Burton brings a convincing weariness to Gerard, a man teetering on the edge, whereas Nick Giedris’s performance as Leonard occasionally falters. A climactic emotional outburst meant to mark a turning point for Leonard feels oddly muted, almost as if the actor is holding back. For a brief moment, it even plays like a surreal, darkly comic misfire, making one think that maybe Leonard is only imagining things.
One of the film’s most quietly powerful elements is its depiction of therapy sessions. The dynamic between the characters and their therapist is often charged, even unsettling. Laura Faye Smith’s character endures everything from emotional dumping to thinly veiled hostility, and while some of her lines veer into self-help territory, her performance stays grounded and believable. In one memorable scene, after a particularly difficult session, she steps outside to light a cigarette, just a beat of release that humanizes her and subtly reminds us that even caregivers carry emotional burdens. It’s a small but thoughtful touch.
At under 90 minutes, ‘Tether‘ is a restrained, somber meditation on grief, guilt, and the lingering trauma of gun violence. While its performances are a bit uneven, and its pacing deliberately slow, it offers a charged look at two men forever changed by a single, tragic day.
Rating: 3 stars on 5.
Also Read: Sirens Netflix Series Review (Short Audio Version below)
