Chloe (Kiera Allen) has not been lucky in life. Born prematurely, the wheelchair-bound teenager suffers from asthma, diabetes and arrythmia. But she’s fortunate enough to have a highly dedicated (single) mother to take care of her. 

Or is she?

Diane (Sarah Paulson, pitch perfect and nicely underplayed).

has home-schooled her daughter in virtual isolation for 17 years and manages the battery of drugs she has to take every day to control her afflictions. 

For all her limitations, Chloe is resilient, smart and resourceful, and eagerly waits each day for the inexplicably delayed acceptance notices from the dozen universities to which she has applied. 

Then one day by pure chance she discovers that something’s not quite right, even sinister, with the medications mom is administering to her, and the movie morphs into a one-on-one battle for survival.

Yes, it’s a bit predictable and inherently ludicrous (it’s a psycho-thriller, after all), but this little bit of campy fun from Aneesh Chaganty still manages to surprise you. It nicely builds and holds tension, the acting and pacing are top-notch, and the little ironic coda recently favored in such flicks is, though not at all likely, greatly gratifying. Trivia note: Allen uses a wheelchair in real life. (90 min)