A wallflower blames herself for the stumble (or push, perhaps?) that ended the life of a snobby friend at a big pool party.  Unfortunately, she soon learns that friendships can sometimes–literally–have no bounds, as her friend seems to haunt her from beyond the grave.

Jennifer is Dead is a tidy little psychological horror short, featuring nice performances and solid cinematography.  Erinn Koch and Elizabeth Perry do good work as two teenagers with the unhealthiest friendship since Heavenly Creatures, and Patricia Tallman is especially nuanced as the surviving girl’s concerned mother.  They are complemented with crisp shooting and editing on display.

But beyond that I struggle to say much about Jennifer is Dead, as it really doesn’t add anything new to the genre and contains little that hasn’t been seen before.  All in all it represents a pretty standard psychological horror outing, hitting all of the points you expect it to hit, with a conclusion that is sure-footed enough without being particularly surprising.

That being said, Jennifer is Dead doesn’t subtract anything from the genre either, and is nicely done on many levels, with professional performances and a polished production sheen.  In the end, however, I found myself curiously unmoved by the workmanlike action, while still admiring the production value.  I would look for more work from these folks, especially if they look to challenge themselves with fresher ideas.

Two and a half stars.