“Reeling” opens with a long, ominous one-shot in which the familiar experience of returning home takes on a strange, uncanny hue. Ryan (Ryan Wuestewald) arrives at his family’s Oahu estate, after an unspecified time away. As the camera trails behind him and he walks the ground of the homestead, he encounters a parade of family friends who greet him warmly, and who he looks at almost like they’re aliens. Even his siblings, Meg (Nikki DeParis) and John (Hans Christopher), are treated with initial hesitation before they (re)introduce themselves. As a quiet panic becomes obvious in Ryan’s eyes, the happy return begins to feel like a nightmare.

Executive-produced by Werner Herzog, whose influence can be felt in the film’s mix of improv and scripted scenes, “Reeling” frequently pauses the narrative to observe the young, attractive party at the celebratory luau Meg throws for her birthday, as they play volleyball,...