Name: Apartment 7A Where Dreams Go To Die plus The Scary Bits - Mother of Movies
Director: Natalie Erika James
Released: 2024-09-20T17:02:33

I wanted to watch Apartment 7A as soon as I saw the cast. Julie Garner and Diane Wiest were all I needed to see to know this would be a great film. Sometimes I think I love movies so much because we are all looking for something relatable. The same goes for many types of entertainment. Our values prescribe what kinds of stories will make us feel happy, sad, inspired, less unique, or more unique. They allow us to escape. Most importantly, they illuminate the themes and problems we have. Then, they add some razzle-dazzle.

Apartment 7A feels very much like Rosemary’s Baby’s illegitimate sister. After production concluded, filmmakers confirmed it to be guided by the novel “Rosemary’s Baby” by Ira Levin. Directed by Natalie Erika James, this is a title that claims to be the prequel. And it does a very nice job.

Apartment 7A starts with Terri (Garner.) A young beautiful girl that radiates confidence. She is not only street smart, but determined. Terri is the type of horror character you like because there is very little that seems completely implausible. Terri is also the name of the woman who died at the beginning of the story of Rosemary’s Baby.

At the peak of Terri’s depression after her career-ending injury, she tries to get back into showbiz. The only blight in an otherwise cohesive narrative is that Terri thinks she can continue dancing while incapacitated.

This aspect underpins the idea that Terri would do “just about anything” to dance again on stage. However, one would suspect it rare to see a performer on stage, limping around. It would be like lining up to a handstand competition with a broken arm. And that’s what makes her stand out to Roman and Minnie.

Sometimes, you have to hit rock bottom to find your way back up. After the final rejection, Terri decides to advocate for herself. She seeks out one of the hosts, Alan Marchand, hoping to challenge his decision. To get through the pain of auditioning, Terri has been downing painkillers. She collapses as her efforts become more and more fruitless and is picked up by Minnie and Roman Castevet.

Minnie, played by West, is an absolute delight. West’s versatile career path has allowed her to effortlessly enter any genre, and she shines brilliantly as Minnie. Kevin McNally duly embodies Roman Castevet, strengthening the unparalleled cast. Their performances contribute to the success of the psychological thriller film.

The core of this story centers around a coven living together in an apartment building, their unity and purpose are evident.

There are interconnected rooms with hidden doors and an abundance of sedatives at their disposal. They are driven by a clear agenda, similar to that in “Rosemary’s Baby,” where the Castevets have a singular goal: to provide a baby for the Devil.

The process, shrouded in darkness, involves women being violated by the Devil, with the Castevets determining who will be brought before him.

Minnie and Roman are sex traffickers for the Devil. Before Rosemary successfully produced an heir, Terri almost did. Orchestrated by an extended family of Devil worshippers who give the pro-debate speech for why the Dark Lord is the best.

In Rosemary’s Baby, they convince her husband to let the Devil rape her and tell her he did it. They are wolves dressed up as very naughty and vicious lambs.

“The young lady who used to live here before was trying to escape from an abusive boyfriend. We helped her find her confidence.”
Quote from Apartment 7A

The Girl Who Fell

Despite all the prominent themes and unsettling drama of drugging and rape, Terri’s story resonates with the inspiring spirit of an underdog. Apartment 7A was produced by the same crew that did A Quiet Place and wanted this to be tonally similar. In a way it is. The violence and brutality of the world its people live in aren’t shown being ripped apart. That same ethics is applied here.

As the daughter of a pig farmer, Terri embodies the strength and self-reliance of a resilient fighter. She navigates her world with a sharp focus on achieving her dreams, refusing to let any adversity define her path.

A blessing and a curse, the thought that she is aware of the scenarios she is entering, but expects a different outcome makes it difficult to watch. This is only thanks to Garners’ ability to let us know what she is thinking with a single sharp focussed lens on her face.

There is a lot to like about this movie. Especially if you were a fan of the creative work series that finished off Fatal Attraction. If this is what big studios are looking to put out, then I’m all for it. Apartment 7A does slip into far too much familiar territory, but it’s nice there.

Looking for more movies about Devil possession? Watch The Reckoning | Tarot | The Exorcism or Vash next.

If you love psychological horror without the satanic part add House of Ashes | Bad Things or Daddy’s Head to your movie watchlist.