Haunted by a man from her past, an uptight mother will do anything to protect her child and finally rid herself of the trauma she’s endured. Written and directed by Andrew Semans, Resurrection is a slow-burning psychological thriller boosted by incredible performances and an intriguing mystery.
Margaret (Rebecca Hall) is a workaholic single mom who spends her free time in the arms of a married colleague. She’s rather overprotective of her nearly-adult-aged daughter Abbie (Grace Kaufman) and struggles to respect her newfound mission of independence.
While at a conference, Margaret recognizes a man called David (Tim Roth), which puts her into a panic. Continuing to spot him while out, she confronts him to demand he leave her alone. He claims to not know her, but by the end of the brief yet contentious encounter, he seemingly gaslights her regarding their exchange.
With the police believing it’s all merely coincidence, David begins breaking down the protective shell she’s worked so hard to build. As she attempts to overpower his manipulations, the horrors of their disturbing history begin to flood back.
With Resurrection, Semans has crafted a unique and deeply unnerving film that explores the complexities of someone suffering from the long-term effects of an abusive relationship. It shows how this has affected her daily routines, her dynamic with her daughter, and the other relationships in her life — romantic or other.
The message is clear, but it’s the performances that drive home the impact of the story. Hall is captivating and pours everything into her role—a mesmerizing act and a great follow-up to her work in The Night House. She wonderfully goes toe to toe with Roth, who is incredibly looming as such a menacing—yet unassuming—character.
There’s a heavier weight to him that develops as Hall becomes more consumed by his tactics, which sets the film up to be what I was hoping would be a powerful final act.
The last half hour, unfortunately, did suffer from a bit of a slump. There was such an intense sense of dread and uneasiness that felt poised for this great climatic reunion. But in the end, it felt a bit sluggish. Though, the final 10-minutes serve as a grotesque and haunting conclusion.
Resurrection is available On Demand on August 5
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