It’s 1933. The Oklahoma Panhandle is ravaged by dust storms and droughts so insidious that its occupants are forced to shelter inside, leaving them alone with nothing but a steady, seeping film of particulate matter and their thoughts.
This tension defines the crux of “Hold Your Breath,” a psychological thriller, and the feature debut from Karrie Crouse and Will Joines. Helmed by a lead performance from the reigning scream queen and "American Horror Story" alumn, Sarah Paulson, the film, which premieres on Hulu on October 3, is perfectly positioned to offer a novel take on gothic horror, down to its muted palette and stifling, isolated atmosphere. Instead, “Hold Your Breath” struggles to find narrative footing, leading the plot to meander into predictable territory that is made largely redeemable by Paulson’s Margaret, the steadily unraveling matriarch of a blonde, plaited brood of girls.
