Here before

For her first film as director and screenwriter Stacey Gregg delivers an effective psychological thriller in which appearances are often deceptive and in which every clue sprinkled throughout has a meaning and an impact on the course of the action. In the suburbs of Belfast, after new neighbors move in, a grieving mother, Laura (Andrea Riseborough) begins to question her reality. It is interesting to see how the script uses the theme of grief to place its female lead in a permanently uncomfortable zone.

This woman marked by fatality and masterfully played by actress Andrea Riseborough seems to be unable to recover from the aftermath of a car accident that took her daughter's life. The emotional scars are not always closed up. The daughter of Laura's neighbors seems to have a strong bond with her and this seems to be related to one of the events of the past.

The script leaves the doubt about a possible reincarnation of her deceased daughter. This impression is reinforced by a very successful nightmare scene in which a child with a blurred face seems to want to slip into the bed of Laura and her husband. However, the director prefers not to resort to supernatural elements and the final denouement will bring all the answers that the spectators ask themselves throughout the story.

Without all these fantastic devices, Here before is appreciated as a psychological thriller carried by an excellent cast and above all showing us once again that a good thriller relies on a scenario conducive to the development of the characters but above all to keep us on the edge of our seats until the last minute. Mission amply succeeded for this independent film which knows perfectly how to use its lack of financial resources to direct its story towards a real originality.

Here before
Written and directed by Stacey Gregg
Produced by Sophie Vickers, Julia Godzinskaya
Starring Andrea Riseborough, Martin McCann, Jonjo O'Neill, Eileen O'Higgins
Music by Adam Janota Bzowski
Cinematography : Chloë Thomson
Edited by Brian Philip Davis
Production: A BBC Films, Pia Pressure, Northern Ireland Screen presentation of a Rooks Nest production
Release date : March, 17 2021 (SXSW)
Running time : 83 minutes

Seen on March 19, 2021 (SXSW)

Mulder's Mark: