Affection review โ memory loss thriller that keeps you guessing benefits from winning performances
Terrific acting, especially an intriguingly ambiguous turn by child actor Julianna Layne, ground this twisty little horror debut When Ellie (Jessica Rothe) wakes up in bed in a house she doesnโt recognise, next to a man she doesnโt know, she naturally assumes the worst, in debut feature director BT Mezaโs creepy thriller. Understandably, she freaks out, and is even more disconcerted when a little girl calling her mommy appears, distressed that Ellie doesnโt know who she is either. Has she been kidnapped? Why would this girl play along with the kidnapperโs ruse? At this point, Bruce (an excellent performance from Joseph Cross) intervenes, reassuring his daughter and explaining to Ellie that she has memory loss. He is her husband, he says, and Alice (Julianna Layne) is their little girl. If youโve ever watched a film before, youโll know there are twists and turns coming. This nifty little movie keeps you guessing and when it eventually shows its hand, thereโs still plenty of mileage left in the characters. Layne gives a beautifully calibrated performance as Alice; itโs initially genuinely difficult to work out if sheโs an innocent caught up in a terrifying situation or somehow in on whatever is happening โ and thatโs exactly what this character needs. With a film that wants to tease the viewer as to exactly what genre weโre watching, itโs ideal to see a kid played with a degree of ambiguity. Continue reading...