Hello everyone. Welcome back for my final review of 2021. I originally was planning to finish my coverage on Black Christmas '74. However after some recent things going on, I have decided that it'll be better to finish that next month. Trust me, the wait will be worth it as it ties into something else that I have going on. So just bare with me.
Yesterday, I had mentioned having a double feature with Werewolves Within. The second film of that double feature was The Night House starring Rebecca Hall. I started watching it and became entranced with the story it was telling. Part of it reminded me of a film that would have come out in the late 90s/early 00s. By far, that's not a bad thing at all. When it was round those times, I would go and stay the weekend with my Grandma. We would spend a lot of time watching so many different movies. It was wonderful. Typically, we wouldn't even bother watching a trailer or knowing anything about it. If the title alone hooked us, well then we would watch it. The same thing happened here. I never once watched any of the trailers for the film or read what it was about. I went in completely blind. And boy, I was not disappointed.
The Night House follows the character of Beth, played wonderfully by Rebecca Hall. Be prepared for a lot of Rebecca Hall as she carries this film so much. She is recovering from a loss in her life, her husband. Slowly, she begins witnessing things and uncovering truths that she was unaware of. It is honestly a beautiful story. It's one full of absolute heartbreak. It is a slow burn. From the first minute, I was absolutely hooked. I watched the film broken into chunks. There is a serious tense atmosphere to this film at times - it would leave me with goosebumps on my arms. But there are times where its very dreamlike. It's really a masterpiece. The further down the rabbit hole we descend, the more the tension ramps up. This was an experience that I have never had before. And honestly, I'm not sure I will ever have again. And that's okay. The film had me relating a lot to the character of Beth. I fully placed myself in their shoes. What would I do if this event had happened to me? It just left me thinking about it so much.
The cast in this film is astonishing. We have Rebecca Hall, who is the MVP of it. She's so relatable. Sarah Goldberg plays Claire, who at first I was unsure of. I wasn't sold on their friendship. It felt a little hollow at first. But as the story progresses, you begin to see that friendship. And by the end, she proves to be a rock for Beth. Vondie Curtis-Hall plays Mel, Beth's next door neighbor. He's the quiet reserved old man. There's a genuine care for Beth that comes across in his scenes. He honestly also manages to steal those scenes a little bit as well. And then there's Evan Jonigkeit as Owen. What a powerhouse of a performance. I honestly mean that for everyone. This is such a small character piece of a film that if someone wasn't bringing it, it'd bring it down. But that's not the case.
This was a film that just oozes in its tension. I was on edge as I wasn't sure what was going to happen next. This is not a blood to the wall, horror film. But a small, intricate thriller. And it works absolutely so well. It's also one that has left me thinking about it. It's there lingering in the back. Just when I thought I had shaken it, something brings it back to the forefront. That's is honestly a testament to the power of this film working so damn well. Now, I understand that there are going to be people where this won't hit. And that's okay because that's the beauty of film. It's all subjective.
Overall, I loved The Night House. It's one that I am so happy that I went in completely blind. It drew me in and never let go. It'll be one that I will return to from time to time. I highly recommend it if you haven't checked it out yet.
Rating: 5 out of 5.
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