Released: September 11th,
2015
Rated: R
Distributor: RADiUS-TWC
Starring: Susanne Wuest, Lukas Schwarz, Elias
Schwarz
Directed by: Severin Fiala,
Veronika Franz
Written by: Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz
Personal Bias Alert: likes slow-burn horror
9 of 10
As
if America doesn’t produce enough horror movies, everyone else in the world has
to go express their fears cinematically, too.
Wading through this deluge is impossible even for the most fervent
horror fans, so it’s understandable that most of us ignore foreign horror
unless someone pokes their head up to tell you that you’ve got to see
one. I’m here to poke my head up, along
with a lot of other lay and profession critics, to say that you’ve got to see
Austria’s Goodnight Mommy.
The
film brings an uneasy brand of horror to the table, one that relies on classic genre
imagery to maintain its sense of dread.
The two boys the camera follows, twins Elias and Lukas (Elias Schwarz
and Lukas Schwarz), rarely speak to each other, and they’re left alone to play
in their rural home. They chase each
other through cornfields, wander in a misty woods, and pad softly about their
harsh, ultra-modern home. Their mother
has just returned from having facial surgery, her bandages wrapped in a distorting
fashion around her face. She’s tired and
irritable, understandable given her condition, but the boys begin to notice
that their mother isn’t behaving the way she normally does. They speculate that she’s been replaced by an
imposter, and their quiet game of clue slowly unravels their little family.
As
with all great horror, this hits on a deep-rooted fear: that your family won’t be there to protect
you. Worse yet, that they may actively
cause you harm. This fear is especially
acute as a child, when you’re essentially helpless without their care. This gives the film the latitude to build to
a big, cringe-inducing ending without feeling gratuitous. Precisely when the film takes that turn will
be different for everyone, but eventually any theater showing Goodnight Mommy will become filled with the
sounds of squirming bodies and audible gasps.
The climactic scenes truly offer some of the most horrific cinematic
moments of 2015, but the journey there is not so dramatic.
Most of the film is
taken up by understated dread, a sensation writer/directors Severin Fiala and
Veronika Franz meticulously build. The
lack of sound that I’ve already alluded to plays a big role, heightening your
sensitivity to every stern word and pounding footstep. The pair also have a great eye for visuals,
playing out themes and twisting ideas back onto themselves through the framing
of the family’s interactions. It’s a
coldly beautiful film, as the best horror often is, and these subtle cues are
what creep under your skin and get you primed for the big finale.
This slow pace will
prove untenable for some, either because they will despise the limbo the film
leads you into or they will simply find it boring. Slow burns are not everyone’s cup of tea, and
this film is certainly in no hurry to bring you any satisfaction. It’s a mere 99 minutes long, but the time you
spend in the theater will drag on. Even
those with an affinity for these sorts of films will likely find its middle
section a bit too long, and you may find yourself wondering what myself and
others were raving about. Hang in there,
because I was in the same boat and still walked out ready to declare Goodnight Mommy as one of the best films
of 2015.
Other Notes:
Ø Are
Red Cross representatives always this pushy in Austria?
Ø Warning: body horror ensues
Ø If
you’ve seen this film, please avoid spoilers if you wish to leave a
comment. This is a film best watched
without knowing where it’s going, and I’d like everyone to have the optimal
viewing experience of such a remarkable film.
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