It Be Your Own People: Neighborhood Trouble with ‘Hidden Orchard Mysteries’

Writer and director Brian Shackleford is dropping something straight to streaming for all of us still sheltering in place. Hidden Orchard Mysteries: The Case of the Air B & B Robbery, described as “…the new Nancy Drew with best friends,” takes us along with teenaged sleuths Gabby (Gabriella Pastore) and Lulu (Ja’ness Tate) as they try to solve the mystery of who robbed a house in their neighborhood. What follows is an interesting premise of inspecting the complex neighborhood dynamics of an upper-middle-class suburb bogged down by stereotypes, shaky performances, and sometimes weak dialogue. We’re left whipping between enjoyment and puzzled squinting as complex conversations are interspersed with cringey one-liners, two white cop love interests, and an inconsistent (at best) Spanish accent.

The Good The film’s stars, Pastore and Tate, shine. Their friendship is touching and familiar and, while some lines may sound odd, Gabby and Lulu always feel real. They care about, challenge, and support each other in ways that warm your heart. You want to watch these two young geniuses figure out just what is going down in Hidden Orchard. And Lulu’s hair is always on point, 1000% of the time. Iconic. Close behind them are Tyrique (Carlos Coleman) and Tanisha (Catarah Hampshire) Watson, owners of the local cupcake shop Southern Girl Desserts and adult co-conspirators to our heroines. Coleman and Hampshire have true chemistry and the gift for comedy. They light up the screen with eve…