My Best Friend's Exorcism film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Elsie Fisher, Amiah Miller directed by Damon Thomas. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS My Best Friend's Exorcism Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Sep 28, 2022 Directed by: Damon Thomas Written by: Jenna Lamia, Grady Hendrix Starring: Elsie Fisher, Amiah Miller It’s the late 1980s in South Carolina, where Abby (Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade ) and Gretchen (Amiah Miller, War for the Planet of the Apes ) are BFFs. Even though Abby’s family is a bit more hardscrabble while Gretchen’s “hamburgers don’t need help,” the girls have been inseparable since waaay back in the early 80s. Now they’re sophomores at a Catholic high school, facing a bummer of an upcoming summer. Gretchen and her family will be moving away. But there’s lots of fun to be had before that day, and it starts with joining their other friends Margaret (Rachel Ogechi Kanu) and Glee (Cathy Ang) for a girls’ getaway at a secluded cabin by the lake. Oh, great, Margaret’s boyfriend Wallace (Clayton Royal Johnson) shows up, too, which means plenty of PDA and sex talk. But scary talk soon takes over, as the gang heads off to investigate a creepy old building where a girl was supposedly sacrificed in a satanic ritual. Once inside, Gretchen gets separated from the group, and by the time she catches back up, Abby’s best friend has changed. Director Damon Thomas and writer Jenna Lamia adapt Grady Hendrix’s novel with charm and zest, bringing together a variety of tropes for a mashup just out for some fun. And they have it. From 80s music to religion to possession movie staples, the barbs keep coming, delivered with an alternating mix of sarcasm, satire, raunch and projectile vomiting. Fisher and Miller are wonderful together, cementing the film in a friendship that rings with the authenticity needed to effectively raise the stakes of survival. The insecurities about zits, weight, sex and peer pressure are sweetly heartfelt, and Abby’s uncertainty about the best way to help her friend brings a nice balance of humanity to the inhuman. And for a while, it does seem Thomas and Lamia are on the way to making a big metaphorical statement about leaving childhood behind, repression, and chasing imagined demons while evil is right in front of you. But by the time Christopher Lowell is stealing scenes as one-third of a hilariously lame “faith and fitness show” who also fancies himself a demonologist, the nuttiness has won out for good. And that’s okay. My Best Friend’s Exorcism is the teenage sex comedy religious satire devil flick we didn’t expect. No need to aim higher when it pretty much nails the bullseye. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Amazon Prime < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Bears in Trees - Fresh Concrete film review by UK film critic Isaac Parkinson. Starring Bears in Trees directed by Rakesh Jaitly. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Bears in Trees - Fresh Concrete Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Isaac Parkinson | Posted on: Jul 14, 2022 Directed by: Rakesh Jaitly Written by: Iain Gillespie Starring: Bears in Trees A music video that uses a traditional format to poke fun at the nature of performance. A plain white background and stage blocking have often been the norm for music videos over the years and decades. It’s cheap and straight-forward. Simply set it up, get playback and record the band’s performance. ‘Fresh Concrete’ even includes quick-fire introductions to the band members, an act which feels nostalgic and sincere. The upbeat, poppy tone of the song matches this aesthetic, promising something fun and playful. The quick cuts are timed to the percussive rhythm, with snare rush cannons accompanying their profile images. Intercut with the main arrangement are inserts of each member looking into a mirror, their exaggerated clown-style makeup questioned by their timid and downcast faces. The lyric “what do you have to be sad about?” matches that juxtaposition, pointing towards some falsity of performance. The comical face put on is just a facade to hide something underneath. Other inserts include a line-up style wide shot of the four of them dressed the same and singles of each of them screaming. These inclusions are more cliched and obvious tropes of the format, but keep the pace up to avoid the lag of a single-location performance. The wider juxtaposition of form and content, presenting an ironically bombastic image, is also somewhat obvious, but does at least gesture to some self-awareness. The editing becomes more hectic as the video goes on, clashing images against each other and including more and more destabilised close-ups. A mirror is smashed on the ground, and makeup is smeared across the keyboard, possibly representing blood. The idea of encroaching violent elements to contrast the clowning is creative, but could also be seen as a self-indulgent idea of sacrificing something for art. With a more measured performance I could see that message coming across, but for a 2020s throwback-landfill-indie song, it’s hard to see any sacrifice, and thus any meaning. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Isaac Parkinson Music Video < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Night Explorers: The Asylum film review by UK film critic Patrick Foley. Starring Craig Edwards, Charlie Rich, Hannah Al Rashid directed by John K. Webster. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Night Explorers: The Asylum Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Patrick Foley | Posted on: Mar 28, 2024 Directed by: John K. Webster Written by: John K. Webster Starring: Craig Edwards, Charlie Rich, Hannah Al Rashid ‘Night Explorer’ sounds like an entry-level job for a Springwatch presenter – and not the ominous pursuit of the online thrill-seeker. ‘The asylum’ part of Night Explorers: The Asylum ’s title is your clue that this is a grizzly horror – one that looks great and has an intriguing twist, but lacks in the character or originality department. Ghost hunters Ozi (Craig Edwards) and Jimboy (Charlie Rich) are looking for their next video location. Having faked footage for their previous work, the pair want something authentic – and an abandoned asylum seems like the perfect place. Too perfect. As they arrive with their crew, remnants of the asylum’s barbarity are everywhere. And as they delve deeper into the site, they discover that remnants are not the only thing that reside. The most striking takeaway from Night Explorers: The Asylum is how visually impressive it is. For a lower budget B-movie with big ambitions, the costume designs and set look great – with the titular asylum exuding threat and brutality that means intensity levels are already sky-high before the slashing starts. The film is dark, but thankfully doesn’t follow the recent trend of oversaturation or blacking out the screen to a degree that events are imperceptible. Director John Webster has a real knack for ramping up the tension – placing the audience in a stalker-esque vantage point over the crew before getting up close and personal when the hunters strike. Despite great visuals, the film is ultimately another story about wannabe YouTube stars biting off more than they can chew, which has charged at superspeed from vogue to tiresome in the horror sphere. There are differentials in the film, such as the identity of the sinister force hunting the crew, that do at least make it stand out a little from its contemporaries. But the same pitfalls are present – what is the film actually trying to say with its massacring? The notion that pursuing fame is a folly is surface level and played out at best. Ozi and Jimboy’s arrogance leading to a horrific collective punishment similarly lacks much punch. It’s premise over purpose – fine if you’re just looking for some gore but a hindrance for a deeper emotional connection. Craig Edwards gives a solid enough performance as Ozi. His hard-headed stubbornness makes him intentionally unsympathetic as a protagonist which adds layers of complexity as he does what he can to escape the asylum. Charlie Rich’s Jimboy comes closer to playing the emotional heart, and the softer performance makes him the more relatable of the leads. Much of the remaining cast bring little else beyond half-hearted bellowing – which given that we spend plenty of time with the crew as an ensemble, results in a glaring weakness as it is hard to truly become invested in their fates. Impressive visuals and staging prevent Night Explorers: The Asylum from being a totally generic slasher hunt. The story and characters fail to resonate emotionally and there’s little depth to be considered amidst the mayhem. The sound you heard just then is plenty of horror enthusiasts shrugging their shoulders – as well-shot slaughter is more than sufficient. But anyone after something really memorable will need to explore further than this. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Patrick Foley Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Night House film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg, Vondie Curtis-Hall directed by David Bruckner. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Night House Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Aug 19, 2021 Directed by: David Bruckner Written by: Ben Collins, Luke Piotrowski Starring: Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg, Vondie Curtis-Hall The Night House rests on a trusted horror foundation that’s adorned with several stylishly creepy fixtures. But it’s a terrific lead performance from Rebecca Hall that becomes the support beam preventing total collapse. Hall plays Beth, a New York teacher still reeling from the recent death of her husband Owen (Evan Jonigkeit). As Beth drifts through her impressive lakefront house trying to adjust, new discoveries bring unexpected questions about her late husband’s outside interests. Though Beth’s neighbor (Vondie Curtis-Hall, always a pleasure) and best friend (Sarah Goldberg) both warn her not to fill the void in her life with “something dark,” the dark keeps calling. The more Beth digs into things Owen left behind, the more signs point to an unsettling secret life, and to the possibility that Owen may not have entirely moved on. Director David Bruckner (The Ritual, The Signal ) and screenwriters Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski (Super Dark Times ) each have resumes showing impressive results within limited budgets. Stepping up a bit in class, their metaphor for the fog of grief and depression is familiar but well-crafted, with soft-pedaled jump scares and effectively spooky visuals. Bruckner fuels the standard what’s real/what’s-in-her-head questions with some nifty camera tricks that make the house come eerily alive with forced perspectives and Dali-esque illusions. As solid as the film’s construction may be, it falls on Hall to make sure the reveals waiting in the third act land with more emotion than silliness. She’s more than up to the task. Early on, Beth’s sustained grief, and her indignation toward everyone who’s not Owen, carries an authenticity that gets us squarely behind Beth’s personal journey. And that pays dividends once the film relies on our belief in what Beth believes. Thanks to Hall, we end up buying in. Looking ahead to 2022, Bruckner, Collins and Piotkowski will team up again for the Hellraiser reboot. That means that while there’s enough in The Night House to satisfy horror fans today, there’s also plenty here to get us hopeful about the future. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Night Raiders film review by UK film critic Brandon Thomas. Starring Elle-Maija Tailfeathers, Brooklyn Letexier-Hart directed by Danis Goulet. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Night Raiders Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Brandon Thomas | Posted on: Nov 11, 2021 Directed by: Danis Goulet Written by: Danis Goulet Starring: Elle-Maija Tailfeathers, Brooklyn Letexier-Hart Good science fiction has always held a mirror up to humanity’s failings. The complex ways we continue to make bad decisions that impact society, our families and the planet have been fodder for incredible storytelling for decades. The genre has routinely used the present to paint a complicated future. With Night Raiders , Canadian director Danis Goulet looks backward – to North America’s bloody genocidal past – to make a statement about free will, colonization and identity in a dystopian future. Night Raiders opens with Niska (Elle Maija-Tailfeathers) and her daughter, Waseese (Brooklyn Letexier-Hart), living an isolated and dangerous existence in the wilderness. In their war-ravaged world, children are taken from their parents so that they can be thoroughly conditioned to become soldiers. When Waseese is injured, Niska is forced to take her to the city for treatment. The film then jumps forward nearly a year and finds Niskia with a group of rebels, while Waseese has ended up in a “children’s academy,” which is really a reeducation camp. On paper, Night Raiders doesn’t sound all that different from countless other dystopian sci-fi movies. However, the film’s details make it truly shine. Making this an indigenous story featuring indigenous leads gives Night Raiders the kind of gravitas it wouldn’t have had any other way. The colonization metaphor isn’t subtle, but Goulet doesn’t beat the audience over the head with it. It’s impossible to tell this story in this manner without connecting those dots. Goulet wisely lets a sense of mystery hang over large portions of the story. There aren’t any characters providing lengthy exposition dumps to help the audience catch up. No, this is simply a world where something terrible happened, and the bad guys won the day. Night Raiders trusts the audience to fill in the gaps where needed, while knowing that not every last detail needs an exclamation point after it. Night Raiders is an exciting and fresh bit of sci-fi that succeeds largely by telling a well-traveled story through a compelling point-of-view. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Brandon Thomas Digital / DVD Release, Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Rebel film review by UK film critic Rob Jones. Starring Charukesh M, Amar PT, Suresh Nirmal, Adham Anndlee, Arjun Deavilal, Mithun Sangili, Karuppu, Sami, Sahil, Akshay directed by Charukesh. M. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Rebel Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Rob Jones | Posted on: Apr 26, 2023 Directed by: Charukesh. M Written by: Kishore K Kumar Starring: Charukesh M, Amar PT, Suresh Nirmal, Adham Anndlee, Arjun Deavilal, Mithun Sangili, Karuppu, Sami, Sahil, Akshay There are very few examples of films that are truly one-shot pieces from start to end. Boiling Point and 1917 are probably the two most famous examples. Although they're both fantastic films in their own rights, the drawback that they share is that, in order to complete the film, there had to be compromises for certain scenes to reduce the complexity and increase the chances of getting it right in one continuous attempt. For a music video like Rebel, the temptation would have surely been there to do the same, to tell a story with a couple of easy beats in order to give them a fighting chance of getting it done in one. The story is indeed simple, and to a point, it's actually a fairly common trope of the action genre. An everyday man on a motorbike runs into a drug dealer and for one reason or another, a fight breaks out. But the action is anything but. It's almost reminiscent of The Raid - all of the action takes place in an abandoned building of sorts and there are plenty of natural resources to create great shots with. The amount of dust would cause a cinematographer nightmares in usual circumstances, but in Rebel, it's used to create an almost tangible grittiness to its visuals. The fights themselves are sloppy, messy, and entirely refreshing. There are a few bits that are clearly choreographed, but for the most part it looks as if we could have stumbled upon a real fight. Compared to your average American action flick, it just oozes with authenticity. There aren't any quick cuts to disguise anything due to its form of being one long take, and it isn't shy about showing its faults as a result. Rebel feels like it's exactly what we need in an environment of mass-produced, low-effort action movies. It may not have the budget of those films, but it makes up for that with its heart. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Rob Jones Music Video < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Thor: Love and Thunder film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson directed by Taika Waititi, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Stan Lee. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Thor: Love and Thunder Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Jul 6, 2022 Directed by: Taika Waititi, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Stan Lee Written by: Taika Waititi Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson Filmmaker Taika Waititi hit a gleefully discordant note with his first venture into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His Thor: Ragnarok was silly. It held no particular reverence for superheroes, even its own. Who knew it would be such a welcome change of pace, and so very suited to Chris Hemsworth’s comic talent? Of course, Thor still had Loki (Tom Hiddleston) to play with, plus the great Cate Blanchette as a goth goddess Hela. Hell yes. Thor: Love and Thunder does not benefit from the previous installment’s villainous one-two punch. But Christian Bale is no slouch. Bale plays Gorr the God Butcher. The name alone gives you a sense of why Thor is in trouble. The weird thing is, though Bale’s performance intrigues, it’s as if he’s in an entirely different movie. In Thor’s corner of this fight is the formidable Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), as well as another familiar face. Natalie Portman returns as Thor’s ex, Dr. Jane Foster, who now commands the Hammer of the Gods herself. But after fighting his own flesh and blood to save his entire people and culture in the last episode, crushing on his ex while protecting his own skin feels pretty superficial. It’s a slight premise with weak stakes. Even Waititi seems to think so. Thor and company visit the secret assembly of the gods to ask for help in defeating this new menace. The way Waititi (who co-writes Jennifer Kaytin Robinson) stages the whole bacchanal makes it hard to argue Gorr the God Butcher’s logic. An interesting act of subversion or wishy-washy storytelling? Hard to say. Waititi’s focus on the film’s aesthetic is clearer, though. Thor: Love and Thunder evokes a Saturday morning kids’ show, complete with hokey costumes and props. Here Waititi revels in the superficial, the kitschy and commercial. He’s a filmmaker who balances cynicism and goofiness as few can. He hits a couple of clever gags with a jealous Stormbreaker, too. So, it’s fun. But it’s by no means the inspired fun of Ragnarok. None of the jokes land as well, and the action never approaches the same level of swagger and panache. And it just keeps getting harder to root against Marvel’s villains. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Wilbert Wire film review by UK film critic William Curzon. Starring Josiah Morgan, Kathleen Burns, Kim Garrett directed by Ricky Townsend. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Wilbert Wire Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: William Curzon | Posted on: Mar 23, 2026 Directed by: Ricky Townsend Written by: Ricky Townsend Starring: Josiah Morgan, Kathleen Burns, Kim Garrett Wilbert Wire follows a robot art student, the titular character portrayed by Josiah Morgan, who is tasked by his human teacher with creating a painting about love. The piece presents the tropes of the autistic experience through the lens of science fiction. Writer/director Ricky Townsend being diagnosed with autism from a young age makes the experience a raw and authentic depiction of a neurodivergent individual. One of the most relieving aspects of the piece is how the filmmakers treat the subject matter from the perspective of the neurodiverse experience. Writer/director Ricky Townsend treats the experience as delicate and raw in his depiction of Wilbert as he is tasked with creating a painting. In the wrong hands, this could've been executed in a tone-deaf manner; however, the filmmakers execute this unique concept with a profound sense of nuance. The piece is educational in teaching the audience and those around Wilbert to learn how he conveys his love; this is shown in a complex and subtle way without exaggerating or stereotyping characteristics of his autism, as is often the case in modern media. It's an incredibly visceral experience due to how the filmmakers always present the piece from Wibert’s point of view, giving the viewer a sense of the experience of autism through the lens of a robot. The sequences within Wilbert’s imagination are the most effective due to the dynamic camerawork, and the VFX are genuinely impressive despite the film's budget constraints. While the narrative is fairly grounded in its setting, the science fiction elements work surprisingly well and never detract from the experience. The film also blends humour and the heartwarming elements of the narrative incredibly well without ever feeling jarring. As Wilbert is a robot, the editing matches his point of view as he rushes with ideas for the painting in a frenetic manner. Ricky Townsend's direction and blocking make incredible use of the limited space, and Josiah Morgan’s physicality in the titular role is profoundly executed in the sequences in his imagination. John Chrisstoffels’ camerawork is truly splendid, as it primarily consists of wide shots when tracking Wilbert’s movement as he uses the environment to his advantage when expanding his ideas. Liam Reid, serving as the film's composer, delivers a nuanced and understated musical score that evokes warmth and delicacy to assist the more intimate moments of the piece. The use of music is genuinely one of the film's greater aspects and is wonderfully placed throughout as Wilbert connects with others. The central performance from Josiah Morgan in his portrayal of the titular character is wonderful, as he conveys a profound sense of empathy and heart as he tries to make his teacher and others understand that love knows no boundaries. The way he loves may differentiate from others, but it doesn't make his passion and aspirations any less important. While the piece does have an incredibly brisk runtime, it leaves the viewer wanting more with an incredibly moving conclusion that wraps up the film's themes in a satisfying manner. Wilbert Wire is a heartwarming depiction of a robot placed in a scenario where he represents his version of love and connection through art. The film is an important reminder to show empathy and understanding, and to support others who struggle to convey their love to one another. Ricky Townsend's attempts at grappling with themes of art and connection make him a distinct voice in indie filmmaking and someone to watch out for in the near future. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Curzon Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

That Christmas film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw directed by Simon Otto. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS That Christmas Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Dec 3, 2024 Directed by: Simon Otto Written by: Richard Curtis, Peter Souter Starring: Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw More than two decades ago, writer/director Richard Curtis made a very British Christmas film. It hasn’t aged particularly well, though many folks watch it year in, year out. Including, apparently, the inhabitants of Wellington-on-Sea. Now, that may be because That Christmas— the new animated film set in the little port village—was co-written by Curtis. The Love Actually joke is a good bit in director Simon Otto’s holiday tale that’s a bit disjointed but never lacking in charm. The film opens with Santa (Brian Cox—wait, really?) narrating the climax of one particularly problematic Christmas Eve night in the tiny community. The worries are larger than just this massive blizzard. But to do it all justice, Santa has to take us back a few days, to the school Christmas play. One set of twins is split on the naughty and nice lists. One tween girl, left to care for her baby sister and three other children, breaks tradition but may also be negligent enough to allow tragedy to occur. And lonesome Danny (Jack Wisniewski) fears he will spend Christmas utterly alone. Curtis, writing with Peter Souter, creates another crisscrossing of bittersweet, intimate, interconnected Christmas stories. And once again, Bill Nighy (this time voicing the character Lighthouse Bill) is underused. The animation is delightful, the humor decidedly British, and the hijinks wholesome but relatable and often bittersweet. One bit about an under-appreciated single mum is not only beautifully tender but also quite welcome. But none of it is particularly funny, or terribly fresh. Five years ago, Netflix produced Klaus , a Christmas story that was stunning to look at and full of surprises. This year’s holiday offering is a charmer, and its understated humor and wry observations help to keep it engaging regardless of your age. But that’s not enough for That Christmas to transcend the glut of Christmas fare this year (and every year) to become an annual tradition. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Netflix, Animation < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Dark Glasses film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Ilenia Pastorelli, Andrea Zhang, Asia Argento directed by Dario Argento. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Dark Glasses Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Oct 10, 2022 Directed by: Dario Argento Written by: Dario Argento, Franco Ferrini Starring: Ilenia Pastorelli, Andrea Zhang, Asia Argento Giallo is the soap opera of horror, and you have to embrace that to appreciate it. Emotion and drama, tension, fear and sexuality are amped up to a ludicrous degree, with sense and sensibility tossed out the window. Few have ever done this as well as Dario Argento. I’d argue Mario Bava, but many consider Argento the king of giallo, and with good reason – his landmark 1977 film Suspiria may be the high-water mark for the entire genre. After a decade away from filmmaking in general and longer still since his last giallo, Argento returns to form with Dark Glasses . Passions run high and bad decisions are rampant as Diana (Ilenia Pastorelli) attempts to evade a serial killer. But wait, it’s more complicated than that! You see, she’s also blind and has sort of kidnapped this kid. It’s better if you don’t ask. Though the score is not from Goblin, composer Arnaud Rebotini’s electronic soundtrack conjures classic giallo. Indeed, between those recognizable chimes and an early throat severing, you’d think you were watching Argento of old. But the filmmaker does have a couple new ideas in store, and marginally less misogyny onscreen. Diana’s a harder-edged protagonist than what you find in other films from the Italian maestro. A high-end sex worker, she’s nonplussed about her line of work and disinterested in anyone else’s opinion of it. She’s a peculiar central character and Argento, who co-wrote the script with frequent collaborator Franco Ferrini (Opera , Phenomena ), gives her more to do than elude victimization. She develops skills and bonds in the second act that feel reasonable and realistic, sometimes even tender. It helps ground the film in character before those characters step into a den of watersnakes and remind you that you are essentially watching a soap opera. There are some inventive kills, gore aplenty, and loads of reminders of why Argento has developed such a boisterous following. This is by no means his best film, but it’s by no means his worst, either. Everyone yells when they shouldn’t yell, everyone pauses when they shouldn’t pause, everyone talks when they shouldn’t talk, but who cares when the blood is this red and free-flowing? Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, Digital / DVD Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Bride! film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Annette Bening directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Bride! Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Mar 4, 2026 Directed by: Maggie Gyllenhaal Written by: Maggie Gyllenhaal Starring: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Annette Bening One part Metropolis , one part Bonnie & Clyde, just a touch of Bride of Frankenstein and yet somehow entirely writer/director Maggie Gyllenhaal’s own, The Bride! deserves that exclamation point. Jessie Buckley is a force of nature in a dual role—sort of a triple role, really: an unhappy Chicago gangster’s moll; Mary Shelley, silenced far too soon; and a monster, chaotic, unruly, unburdened by memory and guided by peculiar fury. The likeliest lock for Oscar in the 2026 race for her breathtaking turn in Hamnet , Buckley is perfectly paired with Christian Bale (that hack!), a unique image of Frankenstein’s monster. He is tender, lonesome, adoring, and very anxious. Frank has a serious anxiety issue, which is mainly calmed by watching his favorite movie star, the song and dance man Ronnie Reed (Jake Gyllenhaal). To watch Buckley and Bale, two masters of their craft, work off each other is a treat, each of them tearing through Gyllenhaal’s inspired and intelligent script with dark joy. The leads are surrounded with memorable, noir-esque characters: Annette Bening as our mad scientist, Peter Sarsgaard as the gumshoe with some secrets, Penélope Cruz as the brains behind the investigation, John Magaro as the spineless gangster. Great as they are, and they all are, the star here is Maggie Gyllenhaal. Her tale is hyperliterate with surreal flourishes, dazzlingly filmed, constantly surprising and yet charmingly inevitable, and fueled by a glorious, contagious rage. There are dance sequences (an absolute blast) and shoot outs, a deep vein of dark humor, opportunities for redemption, and delightful easter eggs. (Ida’s nemesis is a gangster named Lupino; silver screen star Ida Lupino turned to directing, and one of her most cynical and impressive efforts was a 1963 episode of the TV show Thriller called “The Bride Who Died Twice.”) The Bride! delights with an anarchic energy, but its underlying plot is tight, its characters clearly drawn and beautifully performed, and its aesthetic wondrous. In just her second feature, after 2021’s sublime The Lost Daughter , Gyllenhaal’s cemented her spot as one of the most exciting filmmakers working. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Watch The Night Out at the 2022 UK Film Review Festival. See the UKFRF 2022 lineup and buy your festival pass. The Night Out Listen to our review on the film podcast What our film review said: READ FULL REVIEW Fun and yet foreboding, The Night Out is a true example of excellent filmmaking within the short film genre. With the importance of young women being made to confront the dangers of the real world as they reach adulthood, this directorial debut by Jordan Burbank is sure to strike a chord with anyone who watches it. Proudly supporting MediCinema for our 2022 film festival.