Lodger

“A gripping watch and one that does a lot with not very much…”

A paranoid landlady convinced her lodger is possessed by an unholy entity, takes drastic measures to contain the perceived evil. She seeks help from a trusted priest, plunging her deeper into a nightmarish reality.

Tensions are high in this psychological thriller from director Emily Ralph with disturbing consequences that will have you on the edge your seat. Ralph takes on an intriguing story and jumps straight into it without wasting time, making for an uneasy introduction to the lead character of Wendy.

Lead actress Eleanor Wright who plays Wendy is truly unhinged and commands an aura of power that leaps off the screen, reminiscent of Kathy Bates in Misery. Whilst the character carries out despicable acts, Wright manages to capture a hint of vulnerability in her performance that reminds the audience she’s not well and needs help. Compelling work here from a talented actress.

Playing opposite Wright is Henry North as Robert and Jonathan Hawkins as Father James who act as the voice of reason in a troubling situation. Both North and Hawkins were well cast as they both deliver authentic and confident performances in keeping with the source material.

The story was simple in its concept which Director of Photography Conor Tychowski helped elevate with rich cinematography. Time was spent to create a distinct look reflective of the genre which also helped to establish the mindset of Wendy. A gentle reminder to aspiring filmmakers to always spend time focusing on the visual aesthetic of a story as audiences won’t keep watching if it’s not to a good standard. Interestingly Tychowski also wrote the screenplay which you don’t find very often. Tychowski understanding of visual storytelling helped to strip back the need for dialogue and instead rely on the subtleties of the setting and characters motives.

The brooding score from composer Adrian Banks was menacing and helped to raise the stakes by keeping a steady pace which built to the finale. It was understated and deserved to be as it didn’t need to go big and risk overwhelming the story.

This was certainly a gripping watch and one that does a lot with not very much. Managing to create a disturbing story with only three cast is impressive, proving that Ralph and the whole team were in sync with the films vision…

— APEX Film Awards