A lot has been written about the movie Hereditary. It’s been called the best horror movie of the year, a movie that redesigns the genre and one which should see Toni Collette featuring in awards season. Meanwhile, I have to confess at the outset that horror is not my genre. So it was a very pleasant surprise to realize that Hereditary is two movies in one. The first three quarters played like a family drama before the horror elements kicked in, making it a perplexing family drama with a side serve of horror.
The movie starts with news of a death. The matriarch of the Graham Family, Ellen, has passed. Her daughter Annie (Toni Collette) rallies the family, husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne), daughter Charlie (Milly Shapiro) and son Peter (Alex Wollf) for the funeral.
It soon becomes clear that the chasm between Ellen and Annie was never surpassed, a trait replicated in her relationships with her own children.
Charlie appears as a particularly troubled child, however she benefited from a close relationship with her grandmother. Her brother meanwhile was left to wonder why his mother was so distant.
Most of the scenes play out within the family home, its muted tones reminiscent of the cookie-cutter town in Edward Scissor hands, albeit a lot duller and muddier.
Annie spends her days removed from her family while building, painting and gluing miniature models of her life. She’s meant to be finishing off a larger piece for the museum and as the deadline looms the stress builds. Knowing the effect this can have on her, her loving husband Steve keeps a watchful eye and calming hand.
Without giving anything away, the movie keeps you intrigued until the final scenes and end music during the credits. Possession, poltergeist, seances, mental illness, who’s story is it really? The clues are there.
What is clear is that Shapiro as the creepy sister and Wolff as her brother are compelling to watch.
The pulse-like music brilliantly created and maintained the atmosphere throughout and played a huge part in keeping me engaged. The signature ‘cluck’ noise will stay with moviegoers for a long time. In fact several of we reviewers were at another movie the following night, and when a similar noise occurred quite innocently in that movie, several audience members giggled and we knew why. Another image hard to forget is that of Toni Collette in the attic, she must have had fun doing that one.
Hereditary will not be for everyone. Those into horror will love it, as will the curious. The rest will be amongst those leaving the cinema saying the blend of realistic drama and supernatural action confusing and overacted. Time will tell as more audiences see it.
For more information go to Luna Cinema or Event Cinema
