Films like Here Before come along rarely. The type of story that tugs at your heartstrings. With characters, that have both depth and dark secrets. And a film that doesn’t let you in on the punchline until the end. Writer-director Stacey Gregg’s drama and mystery thriller is the type of story that begs you to look up their other work and see what they might do next. What’s more, it’s the type of movie you can’t really talk about too much or you’ll give away why it’s so good.
Here Before begins with an innocuous scene as Linda (Andrea Riseborough) scratches around in her garden. A family with a small girl moves in next door and a young girl, Megan introduces herself. The story sets in motion Linda’s story as a mother mourning the loss of her daughter. This loss instantly enables the weirdness as the two families become familiar with one another simply by the routine of living in the same area. This other family has a daughter about the same age as Linda’s Josie would have been. If she were still alive that is.
There is something under the surface that just doesn’t sit right. Each time Linda crosses paths with Megan she says strange things. Megan knows things she shouldn’t know and draws pictures of things she has never done. Through Linda’s grief, the investment in her belief that Megan has a connection with her deceased daughter is easy to take part in.
Supernatural or Something Else?
Here Before is a quiet film. It’s filled to the brim with cinematic flashes of things that pass time. I loved the way some of the surrounding areas were framed in loneliness which reflects how Linda feels in her sadness. Some of the criticism on film review aggregator sites revolves around the small details that seemingly mean nothing and the sharp music that hints at something suspicious. Comments about Here Before’s purpose are lost on those that hate films that promise one thing and instead do another. I love them and I thought this film swept me up in its subtle creepy undertones. Without spoiling Here Before, its finale was unexpected and I loved that on top of such as taut and woven narrative it managed to play its trump card with impact.
Performances from the key cast in Here Before were stunningly effective. Riseborough is always good, but in this title, her talents were completely at home. Niamh Dornan, debuting in her first feature film as Megan is effective in her role. Exceptionally suited to the ambiguous nature this story requires.
Here Before is a hidden gem psychological thriller for those that love seeking small details to unravel the secrets. The film is currently holding a 5.8/10 on IMBd.com.
The Here Before the film is rated
3.75 broken families out of 5
Here Before Movie Trailer, Watch it on Defiant-ent.com
Stacey Gregg is one of 5 directors for a horror-comedy TV series called The Baby. Premiering in April 2022 on HBO in the USA.
Here Before released on February 16th, 2022 in Australia and earlier in the USA. For where to watch see the link below for more streaming options.
Here Before movie Where To Watch:
