Movie Review: THE A-FRAME

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN / Staff Writer

Posted: August 1st, 2025 / 08:15 PM

THE A-FRAME movie poster | ©2025 Dark Star Pictures

Rating: Not Rated
Stars: Johnny Whitworth, Dana Namerode, Nik Dodani, Laketa Caston, Phillip Andre Botello, Larissa White, J. Barrett Cooper
Writer: Calvin Lee Reeder
Director: Calvin Lee Reeder
Distributor: Dark Star Pictures
Release Date: July 25, 2025 (theatrical), August 5, 2025 (digital)

How do you make curing cancer play as sinister? Writer/director Calvin Lee Reeder handily accomplishes this in THE A-FRAME.

Donna Walker is a young pianist who has been diagnosed with cancer in one hand. Her doctor (J. Barnett Cooper) wants to amputate as soon as possible to prevent the cancer’s spread, but Donna is desperately searching for alternatives, trying crystal healing, etc.

On her doctor’s advice, Donna goes to a cancer support group, where she first irks stern but compassionate leader Linda (Laketa Caston) by being late, but gradually feels welcome.

In her doctor’s waiting room, Donna has become friends with fellow patient and aspiring comedian Rishi (Nik Dodani). It is here that Samuel Dunn (Johnny Whitworth) introduces himself to Donna.

Sam admits that he’s learned about Donna by hacking into the hospital’s patient database and wants to pitch her an experimental treatment. Donna is understandably very skeptical but also doesn’t want to lose her hand. In the end, she calls the number on Sam’s card.

Sam turns out to be a scientist who is trying to create a quantum dislocator, which is something like the STAR TREK transporter. For a fraction of a second, the machine deposits all molecules placed inside it in a parallel universe, then brings them back.

Sam claims his experiments with rats have been successful. In the process, he discovered something he wasn’t looking for – his machine also cures cancer. It’s worked on the rats; now he wants to try it on Donna’s hand.

This touches off both suspense and growing moral dilemmas, where neither we nor the characters know quite what will come next. Science-fiction and horror are both served, while we gradually see that the real heart of THE A-FRAME (the title refers to Sam’s machine, not a house) is with its effective drama. Reed’s use of stark industrial backgrounds and large spaces enhances the mood of a cold universe, broken up by small pinpoints of human warmth.

Whitworth plays Sam as disarmingly straightforward, so that even though we know what kind of movie we’re watching, we believe him. Namerode is natural and sympathetic, Dodani is highly likable, and Caston has forceful presence.

It helps that Reeder’s script takes us through some real-sounding scientific jargon. Those who are largely uninformed about quantum physics (like this reviewer) will feel that they’ve possibly learned something, though checking facts against cinematic invention is advised.

Whether or not the theories add up, Reed has paid enough attention to detail for us to feel like we’re being treated like intelligent viewers. That alone is enough to recommend THE A-FRAME, but it also has impact on multiple levels.

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