THE LITTLE STRANGER Review — Just a Ghost of a Film
The Little Stranger Review — Haunted by Ennui
The Little Stranger is described as a suspenseful and mysterious British period piece about a once grand family and their ancestral home, both in an unalterable state of decline. That is only partially correct. It is indeed a British period piece, set in 1948, and it’s mysterious, in that many questions go unanswered. But suspenseful? The only suspense you’ll find in this very British ghost story lies in waiting for something to happen.
So much potential is left unfulfilled, especially that of the stellar cast, lead by Domhnall Gleeson, whom you’ve seen in two of the most successful franchises of all time; Harry Potter and Star Wars, as well as my favorite of his performances, Ex Machina. Ruth Wilson, from HBO’s The Affair also stars, along with the venerable Charlotte Rampling, who was nominated for an Oscar in 2016 for her performance in 45 Years.
And the director is none other than Lenny Abrahamson, of the much and deservedly celebrated Room.
Gleeson plays bone dry country doctor Faraday, whose mother was a maid at the once glorious and posh Hundreds Hall. Faraday developed a somewhat odd affinity (obsession?) for the estate, so he’s not disappointed when he’s called back, many years later, to attend an ailing servant. He’s quickly caught up with what’s left of the family; a war torn brother (Will Poulter) his sister (Wilson) and their mother, (Rampling). They’re scraping by together in the decaying mansion, and it appears that something perhaps a little more dangerous than upper crust ennui is haunting them.
Occasionally something spectral and startling rears its speculative head, and there are plenty of red herrings that could have been interesting if pursued. But for the most part, for all your endurance of these listless characters and their painfully slow and distant engagements, there is precious little payoff.
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The Little Stranger Review — Haunted by Ennui
