I was invited to check out Bring Her Back, and it ripped my edges from my scalp. A24 movies can be a mixed bag. You could see something like Hereditary or something strange like Lamb. While I went in blind, I had high expectations from the Phillipou brothers after seeing Talk To Me (2023). Plus, Australian horror does not usually disappoint. The performances, dread, exploration of grief, unsettling visuals, and the scares kept me engaged and stressed (in the best way).
If you enjoyed Talk To Me, I highly recommend Bring Her Back. They are different movies that have a similar vibe and a shared universe. We follow a brother and sister who witness a terrifying ritual in their new foster home. While it shares some DNA with other A24 flicks, Bring Her Back is its own beast. Let’s dig into the deets!
Some Wicked Performances
The performances keep Bring Her Back grounded, which makes the horror aspects incredibly effective. At the film’s start, we are introduced to siblings with a strong bond (we could use more of that in the genre). A tragedy forces them to move into a foster home, which tests their relationship. Andy (Billy Barratt) and Piper (Sora Wong) are pulled further apart by their manipulative foster mother, Laura (Sally Hawkins). Andy and Piper feel like real siblings, as Andy is constantly trying to protect his sister while also masking the pain he is going through. Billy Barratt makes that inner conflict tangible through the screen.
Sally Hawkins excels at playing a charismatic antagonist. On the surface, she seems charming, warm, and forthright, but if you look into her eyes too long, dissect her words, or watch her a bit too closely, you can see the seams fraying. That is a difficult and delicate line to tow, but Hawkins delivers. The parallels between Laura and Joan (Ann Dowd) from Hereditary are strong (but very different motives). Much of the horror lives in the interactions between Laura and Billy as she fights to keep up a facade that Billy’s exploration of the foster home constantly pokes holes in.
Piper is caught in the middle of this back-and-forth as she tries to stay connected to her brother while bonding with Laura. Piper’s age makes her an easy target for manipulation. Her vision impairment allows Laura to twist reality with her words, leaving Billy fighting to defend himself after the fact. Additionally, there is another foster child, Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), in the house whose behavior becomes increasingly bizarre and concerning. Each character’s journey in the foster home creates an interesting balance of drama for audiences to follow. The supernatural elements intensify the situation, eventually bringing the film to a point of no return.
The Phillipou Brothers Did It Again
Bring Her Back injects a possession story into a well-written exploration of grief, and to great results! It is easy for a possession movie to follow the typical paint-by-numbers routine (and they generally do—even some of my favorites). The Phillipou Brothers avoid many of the typical plot lines by excluding priests, traditional exorcisms, and the usual transformation of the possessed. The horror elements are not quick shadows and ghostly jump scares. They are unsettling actions and reactions, brutal self-harm, and glimpses of a terrifying ritual through VHS tapes. Instead of excessive exposition, audiences are forced to put the clues together to understand how the malevolent entity is involved. This sets Bring Her Back apart and gives it additional rewatch value.
The frightening visuals are another reason to pull up to theaters. The crisp shots heighten the brutality. Audiences get a front-row seat to aggressive splinters, sharp snacks, and animal violence. I was often left squirming in my seat and cursing out loud. It has been weeks, and several scenes are taking up real estate in my brain. I cannot recommend this movie enough to horror fans looking for a refreshing new entry into the possession subgenre. 4.5/5 stars!
