Two young religious women knock on a man’s door to proselytise him, not knowing the horror they sign up for.
A great story told in an even greater manner. Where does one begin… The story itself is impeccable! That creates a solid foundation for the plot to develop and unravel in the intended way, which is the shocking way. The suspenseful manner in which the narrative unfolds glues the viewers to their seats, enjoying the way Mr Reed (Hugh Grant) plays with his food and psychologically tortures sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and sister Paxton (Chloe East). What he says and how he says it is an absolute treat and a thespian masterclass. But that wouldn’t be enough. That brings us to the film’s way of telling the story.
Writers/directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods build up the suspense by constantly cutting to the sisters’ reactions. Pay attention to the transitions between the medium shots, the close-ups and extreme close-ups. Master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, first paved the way for shooting in a single location – Lifeboat (1944), emphasising claustrophobia and visually pleasing the audience. Beck and Woods build up the suspense by constantly switching shots and angles, manipulating the confined space and the heretic’s intentions (check the term “sealioning”). They begin, develop, and climax the story in an engaging way that has your undivided attention throughout.
So, acting and storytelling are nearly perfect. My not-so-positive observations come from the information provided. While Mr Reed has valid points, they are not original or groundbreaking. He builds up his arguments in the suspenseful yet entertaining manner described above, but not all are valid. As someone who has studied all or nearly all religions, he shouldn’t be making such mistakes. UNLESS he is not as educated as he claims to be and just wants to make a point, hoping he won’t get caught. That is up to you to decide. Regardless, he delves a lot into it when he could less, as his point is taken immediately (it is educative, though).
It is a brilliantly made film, and once more, be it indie or studio-level, A24 seems to find ways to excite, surprise, shock and mesmerise the audience with thought-provoking content. They have definitely mastered blending genres. Highly recommended!
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