Horror and trauma are
complex bedfellows. Some films merge the concepts via a grim symbiosis of
violence and reprisal. Others present the relationship as a cathartic
step towards healing the scars of abuse. Ed Gass-Donelly uses his new
feature, Lavender, to merge these ideas into a horrific, singular experience by
exploring the effects of physical and mental anguish by way of a surreal ghost
story populated with elegant performances, unnerving compositions, and rustic
visuals of haunted Canadian farmlands.
Abbie Cornish stars as
a woman who may have murdered her family as a young child who is attempting to
piece together her fractured memory in order to find the answers to the
mysteries that are slowly destroying her family. Cornish's performance is
deceptive. It begins as cold and vacant during the first act and then, as
the revelations of the script begin to come forth, it becomes apparent that the
wooden quality of her character is subterfuge for the sweltering heart of
discord that defines her actions. Her transformation is a marvel to watch
and is evidence of this actress's wealth of potential.
Dermot Mulroney,
Justin Long, Diego Klattenhoff, and Lola Flanery support in predictable roles,
while Peyton Kennedy's turn as Cornish's youthful incarnation is the
standout. Much like its title, Lavender is a film with a depth of
possible meanings and Gass-Donelly and Colin Frizzell's script fluctuates
between familial dysfunction, the stigmatization of mental illness, and
supernatural metaphors for the victimization of innocence, with Kennedy's
performance pinpointing the brooding heart of each.
Brendan Steacy's
cinematography has a pastoral quality, framing abandoned farmhouses and ominous
red balloons with an unusual sense of harmony, melding the supernatural
overtones with the film's center of psychological distress. Lavender is a
world both exhausted and renewed, with brilliant haystacks forming metaphorical
mazes around Cornish as she wanders through her memorial cosmos searching for a
resolution. There are remarkable shots of Canadian landscape that
contrast the slick, if over used, camera play of the final act.
This is a film that
may disturb some viewers, given its final reveal, but this initial shock
quickly evaporates as Cornish’s current plight becomes the focus, leading to an
unforgettable conclusion. There are the usual fright sequences for this
kind of film, but thankfully the jump scares are few and far between. It
is immediately apparent; from the film's time frozen intro that Gass-Donelly's
take on the Beyond is aiming for something immensely different and for the most
part, it works.
 |
| Ahhhh...The Red Balloon, my favorite childhood film.... now available through The Criterion Collection. |
Available now for
digital rental, Lavender is a solid ghost yarn that is an excellent choice for
a spooky night on the couch. Featuring a standout performance by Cornish,
eerie visuals, and a darkly relevant premise, this is a film that begins as a
fire and forget affair that methodically worms its way into the subconscious by
subverting the genre into a psychological parable about the ghosts of childhood
trauma.
Abbie Cornish stars as
a woman who may have murdered her family as a young child who is attempting to
piece together her fractured memory in order to find the answers to the
mysteries that are slowly destroying her family. Cornish's performance is
deceptive. It begins as cold and vacant during the first act and then, as
the revelations of the script begin to come forth, it becomes apparent that the
wooden quality of her character is subterfuge for the sweltering heart of
discord that defines her actions. Her transformation is a marvel to watch
and is evidence of this actress's wealth of potential.
Dermot Mulroney,
Justin Long, Diego Klattenhoff, and Lola Flanery support in predictable roles,
while Peyton Kennedy's turn as Cornish's youthful incarnation is the
standout. Much like its title, Lavender is a film with a depth of
possible meanings and Gass-Donelly and Colin Frizzell's script fluctuates
between familial dysfunction, the stigmatization of mental illness, and
supernatural metaphors for the victimization of innocence, with Kennedy's
performance pinpointing the brooding heart of each.
Brendan Steacy's
cinematography has a pastoral quality, framing abandoned farmhouses and ominous
red balloons with an unusual sense of harmony, melding the supernatural
overtones with the film's center of psychological distress. Lavender is a
world both exhausted and renewed, with brilliant haystacks forming metaphorical
mazes around Cornish as she wanders through her memorial cosmos searching for a
resolution. There are remarkable shots of Canadian landscape that
contrast the slick, if over used, camera play of the final act.
This is a film that
may disturb some viewers, given its final reveal, but this initial shock
quickly evaporates as Cornish’s current plight becomes the focus, leading to an
unforgettable conclusion. There are the usual fright sequences for this
kind of film, but thankfully the jump scares are few and far between. It
is immediately apparent; from the film's time frozen intro that Gass-Donelly's
take on the Beyond is aiming for something immensely different and for the most
part, it works.
 |
| Even though you are dead, I am still touching you. |
Available now for
digital rental, Lavender is a solid ghost yarn that is an excellent choice for
a spooky night on the couch. Featuring a standout performance by Cornish,
eerie visuals, and a darkly relevant premise, this is a film that begins as a
fire and forget affair that methodically worms its way into the subconscious by
subverting the genre into a psychological parable about the ghosts of childhood
trauma.
Score
-Kyle Jonathan