It would seem that ever since Hereditary came out in 2018, it kind of paved the way for the new sub-genre of horror, “grief-horror”, basically horror films that delve into the emotional horror of losing loved ones and the reckless attempts people may make to reach out to them in the afterlife. This isn’t subject matter most horror fans enjoy; for me I find an odd sense of comfort with these films. When Talk to Me came out, that film especially struck a nerve with me, and I absolutely loved that film from the first-time Australian filmmakers and brothers Danny and Michael Philippou. Talk To Me managed to bring something new to the supernatural genre, and the grief the main character was going through was very relatable for me, so of course I was going to be a little excited about what this duo would do next (at least before they tackled their sequel to Talk To Me). As it would turn out, I wouldn’t have to wait long for their next film, and Bring Her Back tackles the horror of grief in a manner that has stuck with me since exiting the theater.
Bring Her Back wastes little time with setting the tone of the film as we see Andy (Billy Barratt) and his sister Piper (Sora Wong) return home to find their father dead in the shower. To further the trauma for the kids, a social worker intends to separate the siblings. Andy wants to have guardianship of his sister, but because he’s not quite 18, it isn’t allowed. After some desperate pleas by Andy, they allow him to stay at the foster parents’ home on the condition that he behaves himself. The relationship between Andy and Piper is very much the heart of this film. They are step-siblings, and because Piper is blind, Andy has played the role as her guardian for some time even before the passing of their father. The film really does a good job of establishing this bond early on, and it’s necessary, because once they get to the foster parents’ home, things definitely take a turn.
Laura (Sally Hawkins) is the foster parent who takes in Andy and Piper. She’s a former social worker and grief counselor, so she seems like the ideal fit to look after these kids, even if it is only until Andy turns 18. Also at the foster home Laura is looking after her son Oliver (Jonah Wren Philips), who has lost his ability to speak since the trauma of losing his sister. Laura at first seems like a kindhearted woman and a little quirky but harmless; as for Oliver, well, that kid just seems to be the definition of creepy kid from the moment he appears on screen, and, well, let’s just say by the time the film reaches the midpoint, you’ll be convinced this is the creepiest kid you’ve ever seen on screen. It doesn’t take long before strange and unsettling things begin to occur at the new foster home, and when Laura’s real motives come to light, well, that’s where things get really disturbing.
There are many parallels one can make between Bring Her Back and Talk To Me. I’d consider them companion films, but Bring Her Back ratchets up the grief and trauma ten-fold here. This isn’t just about grief, but about how it can lead a person who has “good intentions” to do some truly horrific things. The supernatural aspect of this film isn’t even needed, and it would be frightening enough without it. What stands out the most is the performance by Sally Hawkins. This should be an early contender for a best acting nomination; the role just gave me some twisted vibes like a hybrid of Kathy Bates in Misery and Toni Collette in Hereditary. Part of what makes this film so tragic and horrifying is just how relatable the Laura character is. Many of her actions are deplorable, but you can understand her motivations, and it shows just how a monster can grow out of the best intentions. Now just as Talk To Me dealt with children in some pretty gruesome situations, this film just takes it to another level, so I will warn you — if you have a trigger about violence towards children, this is a movie you should avoid at all costs. There’s a sequence in this film that even managed to get me to squirm in my seat, and that is no easy task, and I applaud the filmmakers for having the guts to go to this extreme, because I can imagine most studio executives would panic at even suggesting some of the scenes in this film.
This film didn’t need to go as hard with the gore, and I know it’s going to lose some of its audience because of it, but I still admire this film. It’s hard to come out of a film like this and say you “love” it, because there really isn’t any joy in this film. I will say this was a gut punch to my emotions, and I can say this will stick with me more than most films that will come out this year. I know people will hate this film and consider aspects of it vile, and I can appreciate their perspective. The audience I saw it with was very polarized; one person even had to walk out at one point, and it has been a while since I’ve seen a movie that has gotten this kind of a response. It’s not exploitive, though some of the horror is extreme, but I’ll maintain the argument that it belongs in the film. The Philippou brothers have delivered something special here, and it has me even more excited about what they will do with their Talk To Me sequel. What’s also interesting is that in August we’re getting the film Weapons that seems to also deal with children in peril from the director of Barbarian … will that film dare to go as dark as Bring Her Back, and will this start a trend of films where lines get crossed that filmmakers were always careful to avoid? When I saw the creepy new trailer for Black Phone 2, it seems these lines may not only be crossed but just eliminated altogether, and it makes me wonder just how dark mainstream cinema is ready to go.
