Movies and sitcoms often throw around the term
“dysfunctional family” like a sort of cute tagline to describe a quirky,
semi-likable bunch of characters who occasionally don’t get along; the
relatable sort of family strife you can digest along with your dinner. But Hereditary
uses horror and the supernatural as a springboard for a more disturbing portrayal of dysfunction – favoritism, denial, inappropriate boundaries,
manipulation – and how a family unravels
under the weight of decades of psychological abuse.
Hereditary lives
and dies on Toni Collette’s performance as Annie Graham, a woman with children
of her own who is navigating the complexities of life after the death of her
mother, with whom she had a less than perfect relationship. Annie confronts
feelings of relief, the guilt brought on by that relief, and grief in the days
after her mother succumbs to cancer. She’s also largely unwilling to address the
elephant in the room: how inappropriate and damaging her mother’s behavior was. Instead we get small glimpses in the form of miniatures she’s building for an
art exhibit. Annie struggles to figure out how her family is processing the
loss, as her son Peter (Alex Wolff) appears largely indifferent, while her
daughter Charlie (Milly Shapiro) can barely cope and begins exhibiting strange
behavior.
I think the most apt description of Hereditary is “upsetting.” It’s the kind of movie you’ll take home
with you. It asks unsettling questions about family – how we inherit mental
illness, how far the bonds of family can stretch, and the kind of horror that
comes with not feeling safe in your own home. It’s got a handful of your
typical jumps and shocks, but the psychological impact of the film reverberates
further.
Writer/director Ari Aster seemingly comes out of nowhere
with his debut. Hereditary is his
first feature length film, having been previously known for a short released in
2011 called The Strange Thing About the
Johnsons that garnered a cult following. Hereditary is a movie that unfolds numerous surprises, so I won’t
say much abut the screenplay beyond the fact that I appreciated both its use
and subversion of well worn genre tactics. One of the most unusual and
distinctive elements of the film is the use of Annie’s job as an artist and her
creepy, revealing miniature scenes, which provide wordless exposition and
insight into Annie’s emotional state.
Beyond Aster’s unbelievable first go at a feature film, a
lot has to be said for the casting and performances in Hereditary. As I mentioned earlier, the film’s success rests on
Collette. But relative newcomer Milly Shapiro’s performance as Annie’s
daughter, Charlie, is equally haunting. Shapiro perfects the art of wordless
intensity as she effortlessly conjures a character that makes you feel as
worried for her as you are for those around her. I'd expect we'll see a lot more of her after this break-out performance.
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