Back in my day (yes – i’m grumpy and old enough to start a story with that), you could count on an A24 movie being a decent watch. And you could also count on an A24 horror movie being a decent arthouse scare. I don’t think their track record has held up though. But as I’m writing this, I’m realizing that the “bad” films I have in mind are over a decade old and I’ve only seen one of them. And that one – Tusk – has a fanbase. It just wasn’t for me. I guess that in reality I’m just like everyone else who might start a complaint with “back in my day” (even though I was trying to be tongue-in-cheek) – a loser who is just grumpy that things aren’t as idyllic in reality as they are in my selective memory. All this to ask, “Does Bring Her Back live up to the A24 standard that most associate with it? Or is it a clunker like (people/critics seem to think) Woodshock is?” (i didn’t see it) Well, I watched it as the 8th film of 31 for October to find out. Let’s get into it, shall we?
Andy and Piper find their father dead in the shower. Their mother has been gone for a while. They are placed in a foster home under the care of Laura (Sally Hawkins). It seems to be a perfect fit because Laura’s recently deceased daughter was blind and her house is already set up to be accessible to Piper, who is vision impaired. And she’s the only one willing to take them both in until Andy turns 18 in three months and petitions for custody of his sister. Laura is a quirky aunt type character who is already fostering Ollie, who is mute and possibly intellectually disabled. He drifts through the house and yard staring blankly when he is not locked in his room. It quickly becomes apparent that Laura is not just quirky. She’s manipulative and inappropriate and may have something sinister planned for the kids.
Sally Hawkins is a powerhouse. She is so convincing in this role going from loving caretaker offering safe haven to deranged obsessive. It’s easy to see why she’s been nominated for acting’s highest honors on both sides of the Atlantic. Her quirks cross the line into creep so slightly at first that we can believe that the kids – Andy in particular – continue to feel safe with her even after they get weird vibes from her. Until they don’t. Andy catches on first as he seems to be the focus of Laura’s maliciousness. The film gives the viewer glimpses into the heel turn pretty early on. This gives us a sense of dread every time Laura smiles and coos at the young Piper or tells Andy that he should open up to her. That dread turns to terror by the final act when Laura’s plan goes off the rails. The filmmakers / writers make some bold decisions here that may not sit right with everyone. Whether you like where the story ends up or not, there is no denying that the film delivers effective scares that will largely please horror fans.
The Final Cut: Bring Her Back is a fearsome gem that lives up to A24 expectations and to the hype you may have heard about it. Sally Hawkins shines as a broken character turning to evil to get her way all while smiling disarmingly.
No Real Danger 