“Evil comes full circle.
Following the death of their father, a brother and sister are introduced to their new sibling by their foster mother, only to learn that she has a terrifying secret.” – Letterboxd Synopsis
Horror – Trailer – Released: 2025
From the creative minds behind one of my favorite recent horror movies, Talk to Me, comes another hard hitting horror movie that hits just the right notes. This movie is an emotional and visual sucker punch right to the gut. And I wouldn’t want my horror movies any other way. To me, horror is at its best when it makes you feel something. That’s why Hereditary is my favorite movie ever. That movie made me feel. And so did this.
We have two step-siblings who suddenly find themselves orphaned and being adopted by a very weird lady. This movie is interesting in that, for the most part, what was actually going on and going to happen was very predictable to me. The plot beats were very familiar, and I don’t think it’s trying to be something groundbreaking or super different in that regard. So what hooked me and really elevated this movie is the why. Why these things were happening, why were certain characters acting a certain way. And once those pieces started coming together, it paints this picture that was very unnerving, creepy, and sinister. But also very tragic for all characters involved. So much so that when the credits rolled, I felt sad more than anything. This movie is a bundle of grief buried just underneath some sinister stuff.
This movie really centers on four characters. Andy (Billy Barratt) and Piper (Sora Wong) the now orphaned step-siblings. Laura (Sally Hawkins), their new foster mother, and Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), her other foster child. This is a small cast where everyone is used to their full potential. Weird feels like a bad way to describe Oliver, but Jonah just does such a great job at portraying this child that constantly feels like there’s something actually wrong with them and/or the situation that they’re in. Then there’s Andy, who is a great traumatized teen character who really wants to do his best by his stepsister, but is still a traumatized teen. It’s always clear how much he loves and cares for his stepsister, despite a lot of his trauma being because of the relationship dynamic between his dad and the two of them. Especially how Andy is constantly providing assistance for Piper and describing things for her because of her disability. If you told me both actors were siblings or close in real life, I’d believe you. Their chemistry was great, and once the movie reveals more of their history, it gets really sad, and it’s easy to understand how both of them feel.
The standout character in this movie is Laura. Sally Hawkins acted her ass off. From the jump, there is this weird vibe from Laura. The movie does a great job making us and the characters alike feel uneasy around her. Then there will be moments where she will do or say things that are sweet and helpful, and it makes us and the characters forget just how off she and her whole home situation are. Which then just makes everything she does feel worse as the movie progresses. Sally Hawkin’s acting is just amazing in this movie. Walking a very thin line between portraying this deeply disturbed and weird lady who also seems to genuinely have a soft spot for children and is really good at being helpful and parental. That is such a hard line to walk in a movie like this, but she nails it. I like to keep these initial reviews spoiler free, but I will say by the time the credits rolled I almost felt just as sad for Laura as I did angry at her, which is a huge accomplishment on the writing and acting side.
I was very impressed with the level of cinematography in Talk to Me, and while this movie didn’t have too much of that crazy camera work that wowed me in that movie. What it did have was consistent, high level visuals and camera work that I really appreciated. The special effects are amazing too, because this is the first movie ever that has made me want to throw up. I actually had to pause to catch myself for a minute. And that’s not a feeling that I actually want, but it sure is something that I won’t be forgetting about. On top of the great acting and visuals, the Philippou twins are so great at dialogue. These characters feel so real. In how they talk, lie, and interact with each other. Every line of dialogue in this movie had me. This cast is so small, and they acted their ass off.
So yeah, this is one of those movies that I just love. Horror has easily surpassed sci-fi and superhero movies as my favorite genre these past few years. And when it’s done right, when it’s not cheap and it brings emotional depth to the story, it is unmatched in making you feel everything. This movie has that in spades. With a great story, amazing acting and dialogue. I really struggle to even find a flaw in it. Talk to me was already so good I was down for whatever the twins made after, and this has just completely solidified my fandom of them.
Bring Her Back – 9/10
Notes: I love how the title of this movie ends of having multiple meanings. Cool little thing.
