Saints be praised for this horror tale
Saint Maud (16, 84 mins) Directed by Rose Glass Reviewed by James Croot ★★★★1⁄2
Now this is more like it. After a dismal diet of spooky house, serial killer and seaside rental horrors during the past year, here’s something truly visually arresting, unsettling and downright nightmare-inducing.
Of course, the only disappointment is that this critically-acclaimed, double Baftanominated crowdpleaser has bypassed Kiwi cinemas, especially when its breakout star is currently making more than just a ‘‘Tolkien’’ visit to our shores.
The success of Saint Maud though, isn’t just down to a truly committed, breathtaking performance from Swedish-born Welsh actress Morfydd Clark, it’s also a testament to the bravura film-making skills of writerdirector Rose Glass, making her feature film debut.
From the atmospheric score to the clever, sometimes claustrophobic framing, off-kilter camera angles and sometimes haunting imagery, Saint Maud isa masterclass in character and tension building.
Never has a bubbling pot of tomato soup seemed more menacing, and there are body horrors that would make even David Cronenberg blanch and a griminess and grimness that leaves a mark.
When we first meet Clark’s Maud, she’s wrestling with a minor crisis of faith. In one of her many ‘‘conversations’’ with ‘‘the Lord’’, she pleads with him to reveal his plan for her soon.
‘‘You must have saved me for something greater than this,’’ she laments.
But while the pain in her stomach is getting worse, Maud at least has the prospect of new employment to look forward to. Sure, it means an earlier start than her former hospital job, but at least she’s caring for someone again. And not just anyone.
Amanda Kohl (Jennifer Ehle) is a once-celebrated dancer, choreographer and minor celebrity, now diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma of the spinal cord.
‘‘I dare say you’ll be seeing this one soon,’’ Maude confides, during her ‘‘conversations’’. ‘‘As you know, I have little time for creative types as they tend to be selfinvolved,’’ she adds.
However, to her surprise, especially after warnings from her predecessor and one of Amanda’s friends that she’s becoming ‘‘dangerously Norma Desmondlike’’, Maud’s client takes a shine to her.
That encourages her to think that maybe their relationship could be about more than just palliative care. Here is an opportunity for Maud to find real purpose.
‘‘It’s nothing special to mop up the decrepit and the dying, but to save a soul,’’ she muses, dreamily.
Naturally, when things don’t quite go to plan, all hell breaks loose, magnificently – and vividly – brought to life by Glass and Clark.
You can expect some wild twists, manic moments, scenes you won’t easily forget and a truly heart-stopping finale.
It’s not a date movie, and it’s certainly not for the faint-hearted, or for those with certain, regular Sunday morning appointments. Saint Maud has taken until May this year to become available to a wide Kiwi audience, but it more than lives up its reputation as the best, most memorable horror of the past year.
Saint Maud is now available to rent from Neon, iTunes and GooglePlay.