The Reel Review
Following the sudden, tragic death of their father, a 17-year-old boy and his blind younger stepsister are sent to live with a foster mother still grieving her own daughter’s recent death. Over time, they learn she has ulterior motives for having them move in with her. Sally Hawkins, Billy Barratt and Sora Wong start in this mystery/horror.
On the heels of the smarter and more entertaining 2023 supernatural horror/thriller Talk to Me, Australia’s Philippou brothers have concocted a dark tale about unprocessed grief and trauma, set to a backdrop of unrelenting violence and gore. Hawkins is harrowingly good as the foster mother, despite requiring an enormous suspension of disbelief that anyone would find her eccentric character even remotely suitable as a foster parent. Barratt and Wong are also superb as the two teenage children in peril, with a fantastic Jonah Wren Philipps as the foster mother’s son who isn’t quite right.
The story, however, has more of a “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks” sort of vibe. The creepy set-up in the first half is filled with disturbing WTF moments, but then diminished by a grislier and viciously bleak second half that is more keen on shocking and grossing-out moviegoers than in telling a coherent story. For most, this feel bad movie of the year will be a one-time viewing.
REEL FACTS
• Sally Hawkins did her own stunts in the film.
• Just as in Talk to Me, Bring Her Back was filmed in Adelaide and Lightsview, Australia.
• The dedication in the end credits is for Harley Wallace, a close friend of the Philippou brothers who died during pre-production of the film.
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