I love a slow burn Gothic ghost story, and this is one of the more impressive ones I've seen lately. Director/writer AD Calvo did a nice job of setting the tone and atmosphere, which is essential for this kind of story. The cinematography is flowing and immersive, and you get so many little images that set the mood - the dark old house, the fall New England setting, the creepy figurines, lots of moths, and you hear crows in the background almost constantly. All of this is set in 1980, and they nailed the era, from the music to the Quaaludes to the fashion (dolphin shorts and knee socks!). This is a filmmaker with attention to small details.
There is one scene where Adele and Beth are doing chalk rubbings on grave stones - an obvious homage to 1971's "Let's Scare Jessica to Death", which was undoubtedly an influence on this movie. As in "Jessica", we have a fragile young woman who is either being assaulted by supernatural forces, or is becoming emotionally unhinged (or some combination thereof). As in all good ghost stories, this movie is short on answers and leaves a lot open to interpretation. It's possible that everything that happened in the last act can be blamed on the Quaaludes.
I read some reviews where people were really confused by the ending. A lot is left open, but I think you can piece much of it together. Here's my take:
Closing credits rolled on a picture of young Dora and Beth. It's clear, then, that Beth is a ghost of someone from Dora's youth. Something traumatic happened to Dora to make her such a recluse, and maybe it was the death of this friend (lover?). Beth involves herself in Adele's life to tempt/test her. At one point we're shown a bible verse about forsaking earthly treasures. All the little things that Adele does to provide money for herself are harmful in some way to Dora, much of it at the urging of Beth. What ultimately kills Dora is the substitution of the cheap over the counter "heart medicine" for the expensive prescription (with Adele pocketing the difference in cost to buy herself new clothes).
When Adele completely gives in to temptation, Beth becomes the avenging demon, scaring her to the point that she becomes a reclusive basket case like her aunt. Fast forward to the final scene - 15 to 20 year in the future. You now have Adele occupying Dora's room, and her much younger sister is now taking care of her. (Adele's mom is pregnant at the beginning, and she said she was going to name the child Dorrie. Dorrie is the young girl who knocks on the bedroom door at the end.)
There is one scene where Adele and Beth are doing chalk rubbings on grave stones - an obvious homage to 1971's "Let's Scare Jessica to Death", which was undoubtedly an influence on this movie. As in "Jessica", we have a fragile young woman who is either being assaulted by supernatural forces, or is becoming emotionally unhinged (or some combination thereof). As in all good ghost stories, this movie is short on answers and leaves a lot open to interpretation. It's possible that everything that happened in the last act can be blamed on the Quaaludes.
I read some reviews where people were really confused by the ending. A lot is left open, but I think you can piece much of it together. Here's my take:
Closing credits rolled on a picture of young Dora and Beth. It's clear, then, that Beth is a ghost of someone from Dora's youth. Something traumatic happened to Dora to make her such a recluse, and maybe it was the death of this friend (lover?). Beth involves herself in Adele's life to tempt/test her. At one point we're shown a bible verse about forsaking earthly treasures. All the little things that Adele does to provide money for herself are harmful in some way to Dora, much of it at the urging of Beth. What ultimately kills Dora is the substitution of the cheap over the counter "heart medicine" for the expensive prescription (with Adele pocketing the difference in cost to buy herself new clothes).
When Adele completely gives in to temptation, Beth becomes the avenging demon, scaring her to the point that she becomes a reclusive basket case like her aunt. Fast forward to the final scene - 15 to 20 year in the future. You now have Adele occupying Dora's room, and her much younger sister is now taking care of her. (Adele's mom is pregnant at the beginning, and she said she was going to name the child Dorrie. Dorrie is the young girl who knocks on the bedroom door at the end.)