Swallow

An extremely self-aware A-to-Z psychological thriller about taking back your life through rituals of control, complete with patriarchal caricatures and metaphors of intrusion left and right (think Aronofsky's "mother!"--but a dark comedy).

Approaches the level of Snakes on a Plane or Teeth on self-aware high-concept absurdity, yet manages to be taken seriously thanks to a great performance by lead actress Haley Bennett, lush cinematography, and a constant stream of creative ways to push the autonomy message over the top (the first frames of the film are close-ups of farm-to-plate preparation of lamb meat).

Swallow is destined to be a cult-classic. It's the quintessentially bold, fun, and unique indie film festival offering (Anna and the Apocalypse was that film for me last year).

Highly recommended, but not for the squeamish.

This movie is a perfect example of choosing a secure comfortable life over dreadful, unloving parents and uncaring family. It has been portrayed in many scenes that she wanted to be genuinely loved.

She once asked her husband 'Do you love me unconditionally?'. Also, She loves the garden and he explains about morning glories when her husband ignores her.

There were a lot of cues representing her mental dilemma and trauma. Her mother-in-law asks her 'You fake it till you make it. Are you done faking it?' So clearly she knows that her daughter-in-law struggling but she chooses to ignore it.

Also when explaining to her therapist she says 'My mom doesn't resist me and step-dad is great and sisters love me'.. and then there will be tears. Which means everything is opposite.

Subtle cues made an unloving girl start eating things which she likes just to feel 'she is in control' and she eats things which are indigestible just to portray her own life ..... SHE CAN NOT DIGEST HER LIFE.

On the plus side this is a well-made movie and the location on the Hudson River above NYC is very picturesque. For me the main reason to enjoy this movie is the performance of Haley Bennett as the afflicted young wife, Hunter. She is really good in the role.

There is a malady called "pica" and if you look it up you'll find all those things depicted in this story, eating ice, swallowing metallic objects, eating paper, eating dirt, etc. The story attempts to tie Hunter's behavior to aspects of her birth and upbringing, and includes some sessions with a therapist, but the sum of its parts is muddled. We see the story arc but it does not tie up neatly into a whole story.

Hunter's new husband is the son of a very wealthy family and he himself is head of a corporation. The whole family, son, dad, mom, treat Hunter as a curiosity, a mystery to be solved, dictating what she should do, even forcing her to have a male nurse follow her at home 24/7 to make sure she quits swallowing things that might yet again send her to the hospital.

Naturally she reaches a breaking point and has to get out of the situation, but where does she go from there?

A moderately interesting movie, I watched it at home on DVD from my public library, my wife skipped.

The acting and visuals are great. the story line lacked that punch that could have made this a 7 or 8.

the story is sad but just didn't connect with me and i was dissapointed with the end

6.1

Tv was on and I happened to walk in the room after the film had just started. I adore the lead actress (she always kills it in her roles, girl on a train is a perfect example) and I found myself sitting down and watching it the whole way through because I couldn't believe what I was watching. Like others have said before, I found myself wanting this poor girl to get some real help, not what she was getting. My eyes would water up and I was even talking to the tv at her, trying to offer my own compassion for her. The ending wasn't all tied up in a happy little bow in some fairytale fashion. It was right for the story- in my opinion anyways. Gave me tremendous empathy for anyone suffering from what she was and why she most likely was. I was sad watching her story but I'm not sorry I watched it at all.