Movies

‘Bring Her Back,’ about sad orphans in danger, is alive with nasty, visceral thrills

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It’s unclear what personal events led to the Australian twins Danny and Michael Philippou infusing their horror films with such palpable sorrow. However, it’s unnecessary to delve into that; instead, focus on how skillfully and unsettlingly they convey the raw emotions of grief. In their debut film “Talk to Me” (2022) and now in “Bring Her Back,” their works are dynamic, intense, and hard to look away from. You find yourself wanting to join them in their suffering. In an unusual wake scene in “Bring Her Back,” Sally Hawkins plays a foster mother serving alcohol to her newly bereaved teenage charges, Piper (Sora Wong) and her older half-brother Andy (Billy Barratt). Mourning can be chaotic, as portrayed here.

It’s clear that Laura is also experiencing deep sorrow, as her 12-year-old daughter Cathy (played by Mischa Heywood) tragically drowned in the backyard pool. The story hints that Laura might be planning to make Piper a surrogate for Cathy. Interestingly, both girls have long, dark hair and visual impairments, similar to Wong herself. Piper can see shapes and colors, which is subtly conveyed by cinematographer Aaron McLisky through brief POV shots and sensitive scenes of Piper touching various objects (including multiple corpses). However, the film predominantly communicates its fears in an overt manner. Laura is clearly a threat, Piper is defenseless, and it’s up to Andy, who is still traumatized after discovering his deceased father in the shower, to safeguard his sister. (Andy is still too frightened to bathe.)

Additionally, there’s another child in the household: a quiet lad named Oliver, whom Laura characterizes as having red, curly hair and a cheerful expression. However, she finds him to be quite unsettling rather than what one might expect. The young performer, Jonah Wren Phillips, delivers an exceptionally chilling portrayal through his actions involving knives, teeth, windows, and cats, leaving a lasting imprint on your thoughts.

The Philippous collaborate on their films, with Danny and Bill Hinzman co-writing the scripts. They form an effective duo who exploit the suspenseful premise of two unsuspecting characters trapped in a house with a menacing intruder to unsettle viewers in multiple ways. The gruesome aspects, complete with chilling sound effects that resonate deeply within you, are undeniably horrifying. However, what’s even more disturbing is Laura’s manipulation of the siblings’ trust. Dressed in vibrant sweaters that give her a charming preschool teacher vibe, she appears harmless and quirky. In reality, she embodies a modern-day version of a Grimm fairy tale witch.

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Piper quickly develops trust for her new foster mother, Laura. Having been brought up to perceive strangers as good, it’s disappointing to see Laura deceive her directly about the contents of the room. “It’s meat,” Laura insists, trying to get Piper to interact with something she ought not to. From Piper’s point of view, this story seems like a warm, new family bonding experience until the very end. To us, however, it portrays a raw and primal narrative of deceit.

Initially, one might think Piper is the vulnerable character in the film, but she surprises us by being strong and sarcastic. On the other hand, it’s Andy from Barratt who endures most of the torment. He appears to be a typical teenager: weightlifting equipment, acne, and hormones that make him smell. However, Piper gives him a can of cheap body spray to help mask the odor. Laura, who is obsessed with Piper, tries to keep Andy away, often standing in front of him in photos. To achieve this, she uses every psychological tool at her disposal against him.

Andy has witnessed the harsh realities that Piper remains oblivious to, and he’s spent much of his childhood shielding his younger sister from the grim truth. The rose-tinted glasses she wears are unintentionally a result of his actions. He admits, “I didn’t want you to see how ugly the world can be,” encapsulating the main theme of the movie.

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In simple terms, the directors of ‘Talk to Me’, Danny and Michael Philippou, discuss the most terrifying moments in their film. Check out some special sneak peeks from the highly anticipated A24 production!

The Philippous excel in working with young actors, a skill that may stem from their early start in directing themselves and friends for YouTube shorts at the age of 13. Now aged 32, they are leading a wave of self-taught filmmakers who promise to be highly influential. Filming in your backyard is nothing new – Steven Spielberg made an entire movie about the impact of his childhood camera on him – but what sets the Philippous apart is their ability to post videos online under the name RackaRacka, providing them with immediate audience feedback. The virality they’ve achieved is as measurable as box-office earnings and they have a wealth of data spanning decades.

In a more relaxed phrasing, we could say: The professional films by the Philippous lack any resemblance to YouTube. Instead, they have a refined, mature aesthetic, and it’s noteworthy that they were part of “The Babadook” production, filmed in their hometown Adelaide. However, “Bring Her Back” doesn’t assume the audience’s attention casually. It would thrive amidst cinematic chaos, so a theater viewing is recommended to truly savor its impressive surround sound. The Philippous appear to be mindful of the potential for home viewers to switch off easily. Consequently, their building suspense unfolds with a steady pace.

It’s clear that Laura is hatching a sinister scheme which seems connected to the ominous Russian snuff video we saw initially, featuring hanging figures, bloated stomachs, and desperate pleas for aid. Her actions suggest that this project may revolve around cycles, water, and the troubling circumstances surrounding Oliver, as well as her pets – potentially her deceased dog (taxidermied) and living cat (heard meowing throughout the film).

The Philippous possess an ability to capture both beautiful and melancholic nuances, such as a gurney for the deceased getting stuck on a doorframe as it exits a house noisily. They manage to convey much in a solitary frame, like a lone, odd gray pillow on a bed of pink, or how Andy adjusts his sister’s car mirror so she can bask in the sunlight. However, they also prefer to keep some aspects slightly unclear. They make us strain and guess what’s next by shooting scenes with shallow depth of field or through thick curtains of steam and rain. Playfully, Laura’s overall scheme remains only partially revealed.

The script is compact, leaving minimal space for storytelling blunders except for one instance that seems overly convenient. Hawkins shows vulnerability too, and the movie doesn’t try to exaggerate her strength by portraying her as anything other than a fragile, desperate, and disheveled woman with eyes that convey an endless yearning. The Philippous grasp loss so deeply that they don’t feel the need to clarify that Laura wasn’t always an antagonist. A year ago, when her child was still alive, she likely resembled us ordinary people. Now, that’s a chilling realization.

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2025-05-29 22:31

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