Greetings again from the darkness. When Colin Clive bellowed, "It's alive. It's alive", in James Whale's classic FRANKENSTEIN (1931), it instantly became an iconic moment in cinema history, and inspired many new readers to seek out Mary Shelley's 1818 novel. Since then, there have been numerous takes on the idea of bringing the dead back to life, and this latest is the first feature film from writer-director Laura Moss and their co-writer and collaborator on their award-winning short film, FRY DAY (2017), Brendan J O'Brien.
The film opens with the frantic emergency delivery of a newborn where the mother's life is in danger. This scene bookends the story, and it's not until the end when we realize what's happening and why. As an opener, this throws us a bit off track, and it's followed up by showing us the close mother-daughter bond between maternity nurse Celie (a terrific Judy Reyes, "Scrubs") and six-year-old Lila (AJ Lister). The next morning is a mother's worst nightmare, and this takes us into the depths of the hospital and the story.
Bacterial Meningitis takes Lila's life in a matter of hours, and her body ends up with onsite pathologist Dr Rose Casper (Marin Ireland, "Justified: City Primeval"). Socially awkward doesn't do justice to Rose's personality, as she seems to be incapable of empathy or even a normal conversation. However, she is obsessed with finding a cure. No, not a cure for meningitis or even cancer, but a cure for death. And her latest "patient" is the recently deceased Lila.
When Celie tracks down Rose at her apartment, she is stunned to see Lila in bed attached to monitors, while Rose's pet pig tromps around the kitchen. It's at this point where we realize we have been horror-conditioned to expect Lila to stagger from bed and spread atrocities across the city, wreaking havoc on all who have wronged her. With the creativity of the filmmakers, not only does that not happen, but instead an odd example of teamwork builds between Celie and Rose. It's a brilliant turn of events, and one that elevates the film within the horror-thriller genre.
Rose's obsession and focus is quirky and odd and unconventional, and watching Celie not just join in the mission, but actually contribute, is quite interesting. The contrast between the two women is obvious - Celie sees people (babies) as they are born into the world, while Rose seems them just after they depart ... these are the first and last stages. There is really only one misstep here - involving Muriel the pig - but most of the movie is exceptionally well written and acted. Ms. Ireland's Rose will surely make most viewers quite uncomfortable - especially with her method for gathering fetuses for research.
Playing God or trying to outwit nature and biology is typically a losing battle. The film has bits of Frankenstein, PET SEMETARY, Chucky from the Child's Play franchise, as well as HP Lovecraft's RE-ANIMATOR. As the two women begin to share traits previously only visible in the other, the film harkens back to the old adage - just because we can do something doesn't mean we should - only with a big twist from a unique point-of-view as a final shot. It's a dark movie that certainly isn't for everyone, but here's hoping Laura Moss's film finds a midnight movie audience.
Opens August 18, 2023.
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