Not every film starts with a failed suicide attempt, but They Live in the Grey makes it clear right from the off that it won’t be an easy watch.
Brothers Abel and Burlee Vang utilise supernatural scares to frame a story about grief, loss and the horrors faced by stricken youngster Sophie (Madelyn Grace).
Child support services worker Claire (Michelle Krusiec), the victim of her own tragic back story, is called in to investigate Sophie’s case and, via her clairvoyant abilities, soon suspects something otherworldly is at play.
The Vang brothers are clearly very gifted directors. They use a precise shooting style, and framing, with their camera often positioned far away from the characters, or peering through windows and high in corners, which gives the impression they are being watched.
They also dish out many early visual clues that pay off later on and this flick is a massive upgrade on their previous collaboration, 2016’s distinctly average Bedeviled .
Huge props goes to the cast too. Krusiec battles intense grief, regularly with tears in her eyes, and the curse of her gift while her relationship with Ken Kirby’s Peter hangs on by a thread.
Grace backs up her strong work in last year’s Don’t Breathe 2 with another, very different, take on a child stuck in a horrendous predicament.
And Ellen Wroe ( Audrey ) and J.R. Cacia ( Giles ) are just divisive enough to make you question their part in Sophie’s plight.
As for the ghostly members of the ensemble, well if you think Haley Joel Osment had it tough in The Sixth Sense you ain’t seen nothing yet.
There’s seeing dead people and there’s getting bombarded by loud, aggressive entities who take out their frustrations on a helpless Claire .
Bones break and blood flows as the stakes rise and it’s a pity the Vang brothers stray away from the central story a bit too much, and didn’t cut a tighter edit, as this could have been something truly special.
As it is, They Live in the Grey is like The Sixth Sense on steroids with superb direction from siblings who should have shown more restraint in the writers’ room.
● Pop me an email at ian.bunting@reachplc.com and I will pass on your movie or TV show recommendations to your fellow readers.
● They Live in the Grey is available to own on DVD now.
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