ArieScope Picturers Directed by Paul Solet Starring Jordan Ladd Only Limited Release; DVD 09/15/2009
GRACE is an interesting entry into the horror genre because it does not fit neatly into the genre. GRACE is equal parts horror, drama, and satire. It is those characteristics that make the movie both splendid and unfortunate.
GRACE takes its time starting as we are introduced to Madeline Matheson, the mother to be, as well as her mother-pleasing husband and son-obsessed mother-in-law Vivian. The tone of the relationship is set right away with the tension between Madeline and Vivian. Madeline is a natural living obsessive and is steadfast in her choice to have a natural childbirth with a midwife delivering. She is vegan and uses only natural products. Vivian is a traditionalist and also obsessive. She wants rapt medical attention from the family doctor, the best synthetic medicines, and meat and potatoes with every meal. The combative nature of the relationship is presented near the very start around the dinner table where Madeline has prepared a gourmet looking vegan feast while Vivian takes every opportunity to make disgusted non-verbal innuendo regarding the food as an aside to questioning the expecting mother's choices leading up to the birth. The husband/son, Michael, largely is relegated to a Mommy Dearest peace broker and a bit of a goof.
Here we have the beginning of satire deluge as Solet, throughout the rest of the film, holds nothing back in lampooning both Natural Living proponents and their diametric opponents – the obtuse establishment traditionalists. And the lampooning does not stop there. Michael is revealed to be a Yes Mother type son and Vivian slowly shows her Son Obsessed disorder with a strange reawakening of birthing years sexuality. These characters are also played to the over-the-top satirical limit.
And then the next character in our drama – the midwife. Samantha Ferris plays Dr. Patricia Lang. Dr. Lang is a New Age Lesbian. That is not me editorializing, that had to be the description for the part in the script. As you can probably guess, this character too is played over-the-top and unforgiving as a very sharp, but insecure and possibly deranged lesbian naturalist. Dr. Lang is also obsessed with Madeline – as she was the latter's mentor in school and has apparently held onto a sick gay crush that drove her crazy (and she, by the way, has a new mentee who has an insane gay jealous streak when it comes to Madeline).
So far we have:
* Natural Living Obsessive Vegan
* Establishment Obsessed mother-in-law with unhealthy and nearly sexual connection with her son
* Yes Mother son that obsesses to please Mother
* New Age Lesbian obsessed with former student
I'll spare a detailed introduction to The Family Doctor who is, as is certainly expected by this point, the embodiment of a cold, incompetent, and bureaucratic medical profession. I'm telling you, no one escapes ad nauseum satirical attacks from Solet who is the director and writer. I think he's trying to make a point.
The last character introduced is by far the most normal. And that would be the blood drinking, flesh craving little baby girl called Grace – who is stillborn but miraculously alive. All Grace wants is to not feel sick and be with her momma. The rest of these sickos in the movie project their outlandish Psychological Disorder-R-Us manifestations onto the poor little girl.
I can almost appreciate the aim of the film: to introduce a set of circumstances so bizarre that it profoundly defines the monster that the extremes of society can become even when compared to an abolition. The problem is that so little subtly is used in this parable that profound turns into a sick mess of eye rolling character creations that at times render the movie nearly unwatchable.
The cinematography as well as the staging and scene work of the film is far above par. It borders on a visual art work at times as the macabre contrast of normal and abhorrently abnormal share space. Unfortunately that theme is used thematically to such an extent that the visual elements are drained of any additional meaning and leaves one silently (or not) screaming, "I GET IT," at the screen.
Visually this movie is worth checking out. One should pick a day when he feels tolerant of abusive satirists.
www.popbunker.net
GRACE is an interesting entry into the horror genre because it does not fit neatly into the genre. GRACE is equal parts horror, drama, and satire. It is those characteristics that make the movie both splendid and unfortunate.
GRACE takes its time starting as we are introduced to Madeline Matheson, the mother to be, as well as her mother-pleasing husband and son-obsessed mother-in-law Vivian. The tone of the relationship is set right away with the tension between Madeline and Vivian. Madeline is a natural living obsessive and is steadfast in her choice to have a natural childbirth with a midwife delivering. She is vegan and uses only natural products. Vivian is a traditionalist and also obsessive. She wants rapt medical attention from the family doctor, the best synthetic medicines, and meat and potatoes with every meal. The combative nature of the relationship is presented near the very start around the dinner table where Madeline has prepared a gourmet looking vegan feast while Vivian takes every opportunity to make disgusted non-verbal innuendo regarding the food as an aside to questioning the expecting mother's choices leading up to the birth. The husband/son, Michael, largely is relegated to a Mommy Dearest peace broker and a bit of a goof.
Here we have the beginning of satire deluge as Solet, throughout the rest of the film, holds nothing back in lampooning both Natural Living proponents and their diametric opponents – the obtuse establishment traditionalists. And the lampooning does not stop there. Michael is revealed to be a Yes Mother type son and Vivian slowly shows her Son Obsessed disorder with a strange reawakening of birthing years sexuality. These characters are also played to the over-the-top satirical limit.
And then the next character in our drama – the midwife. Samantha Ferris plays Dr. Patricia Lang. Dr. Lang is a New Age Lesbian. That is not me editorializing, that had to be the description for the part in the script. As you can probably guess, this character too is played over-the-top and unforgiving as a very sharp, but insecure and possibly deranged lesbian naturalist. Dr. Lang is also obsessed with Madeline – as she was the latter's mentor in school and has apparently held onto a sick gay crush that drove her crazy (and she, by the way, has a new mentee who has an insane gay jealous streak when it comes to Madeline).
So far we have:
* Natural Living Obsessive Vegan
* Establishment Obsessed mother-in-law with unhealthy and nearly sexual connection with her son
* Yes Mother son that obsesses to please Mother
* New Age Lesbian obsessed with former student
I'll spare a detailed introduction to The Family Doctor who is, as is certainly expected by this point, the embodiment of a cold, incompetent, and bureaucratic medical profession. I'm telling you, no one escapes ad nauseum satirical attacks from Solet who is the director and writer. I think he's trying to make a point.
The last character introduced is by far the most normal. And that would be the blood drinking, flesh craving little baby girl called Grace – who is stillborn but miraculously alive. All Grace wants is to not feel sick and be with her momma. The rest of these sickos in the movie project their outlandish Psychological Disorder-R-Us manifestations onto the poor little girl.
I can almost appreciate the aim of the film: to introduce a set of circumstances so bizarre that it profoundly defines the monster that the extremes of society can become even when compared to an abolition. The problem is that so little subtly is used in this parable that profound turns into a sick mess of eye rolling character creations that at times render the movie nearly unwatchable.
The cinematography as well as the staging and scene work of the film is far above par. It borders on a visual art work at times as the macabre contrast of normal and abhorrently abnormal share space. Unfortunately that theme is used thematically to such an extent that the visual elements are drained of any additional meaning and leaves one silently (or not) screaming, "I GET IT," at the screen.
Visually this movie is worth checking out. One should pick a day when he feels tolerant of abusive satirists.
www.popbunker.net