There is no greater tragedy than a parent losing a child. Compound that with a sense of guilt for the child’s death, regardless of whether it’s justified, and it’s an inconceivable weight for someone to bear. In They Live in the Grey, filmmakers Abel Vang and Burlee Vang combine the ghost of this trauma with some very literal ghosts — the result of which is a sentimental thriller that goes light on the horror elements and leans heavily toward the drama.
Claire (Michelle Krusiec) works for Child Protective Services and is currently investigating a case where abuse is suspected. Young Sophie (Madelyn Grace) constantly has bruises and scratches on her body, yet her parents deny culpability. Claire is traumatized by the death of her son, so she feels a strong responsibility for keeping other children safe. However, she has psychic abilities that allow her to see supernatural entities in her everyday life. This case begins to take a strange turn when Claire suspects a vengeful ghost is responsible for Sophie’s abuse rather than the parents, but struggles to convince her employers of her unusual suspicion. As a result, Claire goes rogue to save the child from this spirit’s grip, picking up the pieces of her own broken heart along the way.
There is a sincerity that permeates They Live in the Grey. Michelle Krusiec’s performance as a woman haunted by her son’s death is captivating to watch. She is deeply troubled, yet capable of showing profound compassion for others, trying to transcend her own grief by making other children’s lives better. From her kind interactions with Sophie to an absolutely gut-wrenching flashback of her trying to choose her son’s coffin, Krusiec infuses Claire with a soul that she wouldn’t have with a less talented actress in that role.
A great deal of care was put into the cinematography and shot compositions of every scene, which helps the film stand out among other thrillers with similar themes. Every visual element in the film is artfully crafted and nothing feels unimportant. For instance, there’s a tendency for static long shots when she’s having flashbacks of her failed marriage, indicating a stagnance and distance between the couple after their son’s passing. The framing of the characters is always thoughtfully placed in each shot, and the filmmakers are able to extract beauty from the sorrow emanating in this film.
Several minor issues hold the film back, however. The flashbacks are often not clearly defined, so it takes a second to understand that some scenes are in the past. While it indicates how heavily the past weighs upon Claire’s present day, it prevents the audience from being entirely in the moment. The depictions of the ghosts Claire sees could have been handled better as well. They’re rarely frightening, and their performances combined with their styling gives them a “haunted house actor” essence that doesn’t seem natural when everything else feels so effortlessly organic. Occasionally, the film lingers in melodrama, which makes the final 30 minutes drag on, and the balance between Claire facing her supernatural foes and her own personal demons seems off kilter at times.
Nevertheless, They Live in the Grey is a compelling examination of life after tragedy and finding meaning to this life again when all seems lost. While some might be disappointed that the supernatural elements take the backseat more often than not, the ghosts of Claire’s past prove more than fascinating enough to explore here. Just like the entities she sees who “live in the grey” between life and death, she too “lives in the grey,” and it’s a terrifying place to be in its own right.
—Andrea Riley