Let’s think about nothing.
In The Night House we follow Beth (Rebecca Hall) as she begins to uncover dark secrets after her husband Owen (Evan Jonigkeit) commits suicide. His presence seems to be lingering around the home. Is he driving her towards or away from something darker?
Hall is an actress who always brings it. No matter how small or big the role is she is an excellent talent. Here, I think we have her best performance. From wounded to wrathful in the blink of an eye. Matched with her friend Claire’s (Sarah Goldberg) unending love and compassion the two feel like friends who have been through some real tough times.
Excellent characters propel this movie into something more than just another haunted home story. While the story is interesting and provides some curious new twists to the genre, it is the characters and the writing that make this one of the best of the year.
The mood is tense throughout. There is something wrong with the house. What that exactly is and how it manifests may surprise you. As Beth begins sleep walking, we as the audience aren’t sure what is dream or what is real. Jump scares are rare here, and instead we have a slow building dread that permeates the story.
Interesting camera choices and subtle special effects add to this level of creep. We don’t get over-the-top moments, but subtle and sustained sequences instead. Jump scares are rare here, which I say is a good thing.
I don’t want to say much about the story as this one should be experienced. Here we have an existential and emotional horror film that soars above its competition. One of the best horror films of the year.
For fans, check out The Ritual by the same director. It’s a good time!
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