From the first scene where we are expected to believe the main protagonist is Polish when she has a broad Californian accent to the hammy acting of "The Family" themselves, this is just dreadful, badly written, badly acted and badly directed rubbish. It echoes lots of other films, most far better than this one. There is no real tension in the film at all, as its clear from the start that each attempt to escape will fail, until the last one, and that the heroine will probably have her revenge in some form as heroines usually do in these post feminist times. The best imagery in the whole thing is the Christmas decorations and the best lines are vaguely humorous, not threatening, although this is not a funny film.
I can see that there is a subtext presenting a satire on the traditional working class family as portrayed in soap operas and Mike Leigh films (at his worst) but this is laid on thick and obvious and is at worse as patronising to the subject as to the viewer.
For a far better murderous dysfunctional family horror (if that's a genre), watch the french film "Satan", its far better.
I can see that there is a subtext presenting a satire on the traditional working class family as portrayed in soap operas and Mike Leigh films (at his worst) but this is laid on thick and obvious and is at worse as patronising to the subject as to the viewer.
For a far better murderous dysfunctional family horror (if that's a genre), watch the french film "Satan", its far better.