If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Or, in director Robert Machoian’s case, if a man murders another man in a secluded nature preserve and no one sees it, is he guilty? Exploring themes of personal accountability and masculine fragility told through an intimate lens, The Integrity of Joseph Chambers is a methodical study of human behavior and the self-preservation tactics we default to when we fear the unknown.

Robert Machoian’s previous feature film, 2020’s Sundance-selected drama The Killing of Two Lovers, offered an introspective look into a fraught relationship from the perspective of a scorned ex-lover. Machoian once again re-teams with his lead actor Clayne Crawford (Hollywood Critics Association Award-nominee), who played the jilted ex in the slow-burn drama. That same ethos of exploring the darker sides of man’s ability to rationalize hardships is very much on display here too, in his new film The Integrity of Joseph Chambers.

Here, Crawford plays Joseph Chambers, an insurance salesman who, despite being an inexperienced hunter, challenges himself to catch a deer. Believing that his manhood is on the line if he can’t provide for his family with his “survivalist instincts,” he disregards his wife’s (Jordana Brewster) numerous attempts to get him to bring a friend along. After all, what if something happened and Joseph was out in the woods, alone?

The day starts out smoothly enough, Joseph eats his packed lunch and plays with his hunting rifle. However, things take a dark turn when he shoots at what he thinks is a deer, only to discover it was a man. This revelation causes Joseph to spiral, jumping between scenarios that involve burying the body and hiding the evidence to coming clean to the police. Either way, his life is forever changed.

This dilemma gives the film its psychologically thrilling roots. We’re left to ponder – what would we do if we were Joseph? Director Robert Machoian does so much with so little; the setting is bare, and the film’s entirety rests on Clayne Crawford’s performance. But it is the combination of sound editing and score that gives the film life and much-needed emotional catharsis. Composer William Ryan Fritch crafts a hauntingly visceral sonic language that perfectly adds to the slow burn of the visuals. Rounding out the film’s small but mighty impact are supporting actors Michael Raymond-James and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

The Integrity of Joseph Chambers is a psychologically impactful watch that faces an ugly truth. Are we really selfish beings, capable of lying and cheating when we think there are no consequences? Or does the thought of unraveling morality cause us to feel shame, making us own up to our mistakes? That’s the chilling question at the center of this layered, pointedly crafted character study.

This review originally ran on June 14, 2022 during the Tribeca Film Festival

Distributed by Gravitas Ventures. 96 minutes. In Select Theaters and VOD on Friday, February 17th