Written and Directed by Natalie Erika James
Starring Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin and Bella Heathcote
Running time: 1 hour and 29 minutes
MPAA Rating: R for some horror violence/disturbing images, and language

by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport

“I wish I could bury myself so it can’t get at me.”

Over the span of my close to twelve year marriage to my partner in crime Benjamin, he has become quite familiar with my morbid remarks. One of my regular lines being, “I am dyinggggg” in which he typically quips back, “Rosalie, we are all dying.” 

Natalie Erika James’s impressive debut feature film Relic explores one of the most terrifying and horrific aspects that none of us can run away from: old age. I was beyond fortunate to see the premiere of this film at Sundance and since January it has haunted me. I was in awe that this was Natalie’s first film and was ecstatic to hear the Q and A with her following the screening. Afterwards, I walked back to my airbnb under the moonlight with trepidation. Saying this movie freaked me out was an understatement… it left me sleepless. 

With a small cast consisting of Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin and Bella Heathcote and the use of minimal locations, Natalie manages to effectively deliver a picture that one may think was helmed by a seasoned director. The story opens in an isolated, darkened, woodland home. With the strobing Christmas lights serving as the only illumination, an overflowing bathtub and a lone (?) elderly woman Enda (Robyn Nevin) standing naked in a trance, there was no question: I entered a haunted house. 

The movie cuts to a mother Kay (Emily Mortimer) and her daughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) driving on an endless, secluded roadway. Overhead shots á la The Shining, provide a Kubrickian feel and continue the unsettling mood that was created by James from the opening scene. Kay and Sam are in search of Enda as she had mysteriously disappeared from her home with no trace. Obviously, both mother and daughter have much concern for their missing loved one, as there is also the worry of her developing dementia. What impresses me so much about this world that James constructed is that she managed to have me engulfed by the atmosphere. That, along with the actors’ extraordinary performances and relatable story left me feeling as if I was experiencing the trauma with them. James makes use of the camera to establish a suffocating sensation that made me realize that you can’t run from all things scary. This is a picture that requires one to pay attention to the details. James doles out bits of information here and there but it is up to the viewer to interpret and decide what they have witnessed. This is not a horror film that finds its characters being chased by the boogeyman, hearing things that go bump in the night or finding themselves stalked by a serial killer. Instead, these women confront a terror that each of us inevitably will, and that is death. 

Watching Kay and Sam grapple with the deterioration of their family member was incredibly heartbreaking and caused me to recall the moment in my life when I had to face the death of my grandmother. Time moves swiftly and, as one gets caught up in the minutiae of everyday life, it is easy to lose touch with, not only what is important but also with, those that are meaningful. It was not until I had my bout with the grim reaper that I realized who most likely would be next and that there is no hiding. The day shall come for each of us and ignoring the imminent expiration does not only hurt those that we love, but leads to difficult scenarios for all those involved. 

One of the most impactful scenes that demonstrates this is when Edna remarks that with the passing of her husband, the house seemed to become unfamiliar and that she believes it was with his death when “it” got in. This gave me chills. For me, the true horror of this film is aging and what it means to realize when you become next in line. I can’t wait to see what Natalie does next, despite the fact that I may spend another night asleep with the lights on.