Finally watched Hereditary
Jan. 22nd, 2025 10:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
resoluteDamn, that's a good movie.
Absolutely up to the hype.
NB: This is a horror movie. Everything I say about it is within that context.
No spoilers:
Toni Collette and Gabriel Byrne are astonishingly good. The nuance of their performances as a married couple trying to deal with grief together/individually is one of the best parts of the film. Some of Byrne's reactions to events are subtle, in his face and jawline, and they are brilliant. Collette is utterly brilliant. Her range is huge and she sells it all, all of it, as believable and relatable. It is one of the most challenging things in horror to make the protagonist's choice comprehensible, and she does it.
Alex Wolff, who I had previously only seen in Jumanji, is amazing. His emotional depth is perfect.
This is not a movie full of gore, though there are some really well-done moments of practical FX and makeup and such. This is not a movie full of jump-scares, though there are a few. What this has from start to finish is creeping, crawling dread.
The cinematography and editing also deserve a shout-out. The former is queen during the first half of the film, the latter rules the second half.
CW: The engine of this film is grief. Grief is portrayed in realistic complicated ways, with complex and nuanced performances from the actors. The grief is related to the loss of family members. If you personally need more detailed CWs, I urge you to go look it up. I can't be more specific without giving away MAJOR plot points.
CW: The dog dies.
I highly recommend Hereditary, it is worth it, it lives up to the praise, it is a fantastic horror film.
Absolutely up to the hype.
NB: This is a horror movie. Everything I say about it is within that context.
No spoilers:
Toni Collette and Gabriel Byrne are astonishingly good. The nuance of their performances as a married couple trying to deal with grief together/individually is one of the best parts of the film. Some of Byrne's reactions to events are subtle, in his face and jawline, and they are brilliant. Collette is utterly brilliant. Her range is huge and she sells it all, all of it, as believable and relatable. It is one of the most challenging things in horror to make the protagonist's choice comprehensible, and she does it.
Alex Wolff, who I had previously only seen in Jumanji, is amazing. His emotional depth is perfect.
This is not a movie full of gore, though there are some really well-done moments of practical FX and makeup and such. This is not a movie full of jump-scares, though there are a few. What this has from start to finish is creeping, crawling dread.
The cinematography and editing also deserve a shout-out. The former is queen during the first half of the film, the latter rules the second half.
CW: The engine of this film is grief. Grief is portrayed in realistic complicated ways, with complex and nuanced performances from the actors. The grief is related to the loss of family members. If you personally need more detailed CWs, I urge you to go look it up. I can't be more specific without giving away MAJOR plot points.
CW: The dog dies.
I highly recommend Hereditary, it is worth it, it lives up to the praise, it is a fantastic horror film.