The Pause

The Pause explores what happens to an individual when life suddenly stops, and how to navigate your career path during a midlife crisis. The narrative follows Charlie (Suzy Bloom) after she loses her job and the onset of menopause turns her life and body upside down, as she is forced to confront her deeper self and unravel a supernatural disturbance that looms over her. Tackling a darkly comedic undertone and satirical edge, the piece effectively boasts a meta commentary as it breaks the fourth wall, poking fun at horror tropes as Charlie tries to figure out her life amidst all the chaos.

The piece immediately hooks you in, thanks to a pulse-pounding musical score from composer Katherine Evans that feels incredibly immersive, accompanied by creative opening credits that fit the tone of the film stylistically and thematically. While tonally it can feel uneven and misguided at times, the meta commentary on womanhood and being trapped inside a horror film gives the genre a fresh new take thematically. Even with how incredibly absurd it feels at times, it still manages to evoke discomfort and tension within brief displays of disturbing and gnarly imagery. The use of voiceover at times can feel eerie, as well as effectively balancing the comedic elements suitably well in its goofy nature. One of the most astounding feats of the entire runtime is how consistently engaging it feels with a brisk pace, never losing sight of its tightly managed character-focused idea narratively.

Gary Rogers’ camerawork is constantly moving at a vigorous pace, tracking and utilising fixed and close-up shots of Charlie and the consistent terror that looms over her. The use of low-key lighting within the tight alleyways in the exterior sequences genuinely unsettles and sustains the tension and engagement in its atmospheric nature. Gillian Abraham’s edit is frenetic as it consistently cuts from sequences of dread to calmer and more collected discussions of the topics prevalent throughout the narrative. The supporting cast, including Sammi (Louise Osbourne), offer a plethora of comedic and dramatic flair to the more dialogue-heavy scenes of reflection, as debates are brought up regarding the comparisons to being trapped in a genre film while on the verge of a mental breakdown, and trying to figure out a midlife crisis.

Unfortunately, after the tightly paced first half of the runtime, the piece loses some momentum towards the back half. It increasingly loses tension and falls into a stagnant territory as the characters reflect on their career choices and the ever-increasing impact of AI in the process of job applications. While the discussions are topical and universal themes that tie well into the thematic ideas, it slowly loses its edge with the repetitive nature of what is actually being said, which begins to feel shallow and shoehorned into the concluding chapter of the film. Sadly, the conclusion to the narrative wraps up in an underwhelming manner due to failing to fulfil Charlie’s character arc successfully, and the film ends abruptly with an unsettling nature that may leave a sour taste in your mouth.

The Pause is an unconventional attempt at a character study, exploring topics such as menopause, self-discovery and the impact of losing a job in the current landscape of the job market. However, beyond the myriad of themes it attempts to employ, there's sadly not much else to offer outside of some terrific formal decisions and solid performances from Suzy Bloom and Louise Osbourne. The conclusion is abrupt, leaving it grasping for longevity after the credits roll.