When we’re faced with the unthinkable, how do we keep moving forward? In the new horror film “The Night House,” director David Bruckner and writers Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski examine that.
The movie opens on Beth (Rebecca Hall) arriving home from a funeral. In a shocking and, honestly, mildly funny scene where she is in her classroom dealing with a belligerent parent, we find out that her husband Owen (Evan Jonigkeit) died by suicide just a few days ago, and we are watching the aftermath of this tragedy.
The scares start relatively quickly. Not long after we learn of Owen’s death, Beth begins sensing him in her house — a knock on the door, footprints on the deck, silhouettes in the shadows.
In the clunkiest part of the movie, Beth confesses to her fellow teachers that she is the one who always dealt with dark thoughts and that her husband was the one who helped keep her grounded. She had no idea that he also struggled with suicidal ideation.
This is a ghost story, yes, but like so many other horror movies, it is examining deeper themes; in this case, the way grief affects our daily lives. As Beth tries to understand what seems to be happening to her, she learns more and more about her husband and the secrets he kept from her. What I loved about this movie is that we are never quite sure if everything that she learns is real or if there is simply a kernel of truth that her mind creates a narrative around.
Hall’s performance in this film is spectacular. From her introduction to the final moments, we rarely leave her side as she guides us through a fantastical range of emotions. Whether it’s feigned horror that her friend Claire (Sarah Goldberg) would try to comfort her with Hamlet’s suicide soliloquy or a sardonic conversation with a woman who she suspects of having an affair with her husband or a genuine outpouring of grief at his death, Hall shows us the depth of her skills as an actor and makes us believe that everything we’re seeing is real.
In addition to Hall’s breakout performance, we are also treated to an array of visual trickery that is deeply unsettling. There are a number of practical effects that are far more effective at creating a terrifying atmosphere than any number of CGI monsters they might have employed. Jump scares are rare, but this movie manages to keep dread going through most of the run time.
Suicide creates unanswerable questions for those left behind. I don’t know if the ghosts in “The Night House” were real or just the result of Beth’s unbearable grief at losing her spouse. But regardless of their origins, what keeps them at bay is friendship. That’s true for all of us.
If you or someone you know are experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide, you can text CONVO to 741741 to talk to a crisis counselor.
Alise Chaffins is a Morgantown writer who loves movies and telling people her opinions. Find both passions here every Sunday.
