New To Blu: The Ones Below (2016) - Reviewed

New To Blu Tuesday

Director and writer David Farr delivers a sweet gem in the new horror/thriller The Ones Below. Despite its slow and mildly meandering first act, the movie is a nice little nod to the Hitchcockian filming style and the tales of early motherhood that have been on ongoing theme throughout these blended genres. With a nearly impeccable script, another great performance from the always contagious David Morrissey and some routinely predictable plot points, The Ones Below will strike a chord with a wide audience that's hungry for old school thrills and chills. 

Using the woes of child bearing, the progressive depression of postpartum mental disorders, and a script cut from the same cloth as various other movies about mysterious neighbors, this is exactly the type of entry I find myself watching again looking for clues and answers. While the writing definitely falters in many spots, The Ones Below serves as a tribute to a time lost in current filmmaking trends. Slow moving camerawork, no hyper editing, strong visual cues, and a picturesque quality all take this indie feature a must watch for people that enjoy thrillers from the '70s and '80s. 

Unlike many other reviews I skimmed over, I found this to be an extremely strong motion picture that uses its four person main cast to their full potential. With Morrissey rendering one of his best since his stint on The Walking Dead as The Governor. He's in full creeper mode here which only adds to the already barren tones of sadness and loss. Although he's not the star of the show, his presence is known all over this movie. The beautiful Laura Birn plays his psychologically damaged wife as Clemence Poesy and Stephen Campbell Moore play the victimized neighbors with absolute realism. Honestly, it's shocking that this hasn't gotten more notice considering its great cast and story. 

Do we look happy to you? Thought so. 

For fans of old school chillers where neighbors were met head on with trauma and anxiety, this is a definite must see. The Ones Below is a slow paced movie in the realm of vintage Polanski with a new twist on the maternal stories that have infected these types of films for the last several decades. At a short ninety minute run time, this is a tidy package wrapped up in just enough character development and backstory to carry the weight of a heavy topic. Using a dynamic cast of polar opposites to round out the movie was a great idea and serves the script perfectly as each character balances out the screenplay. The Ones Below is a picture perfect case of one of the better movies of the year going far too unnoticed. 

So, warm up a bottle of milk and check this one out when it hits blu-ray Tuesday. Or breastfeed if you prefer. We don't mind. 


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Score


-CG