written and directed by David Koepp, who adapted it from a 2017 novel by Daniel Kehlmann, it's a clever and in some ways facile shoot-the-works gothic psychological thriller; The movie won't disturb your dreams, but it grabs hold of you and keeps tugging
it's creepy as hell and very stylish to boot, but "You Should Have Left" essentially plays like a scaled-down Blumhouse riff on "The Shining", only with slightly shorter hallways and considerably less ambition
it's an enjoyable rabbit hole to go down even if it feels predictable at times. Additionally, it succeeds in giving viewers a few good jump scares while maintaining a sense of discomfort throughout its 90 min runtime
it makes for a decent hour of genre storytelling, but the full stretch of "You Should Have Left" doesn't offer shocks or scares. It's interesting at times, but nails are unlikely to be chewed during the viewing experience
both Amanda Seyfried and Avery Essex do solid work, but "You Should Have Left" mainly serves as a showcase for Kevin Bacon to move through various states of dread and horror