Lovely Molly

OK, so I know the reviews for this one have been pretty mixed, but for fans of psychological horror that don't mind an ambiguous story line, I highly recommend Lovely Molly. As a massive horror enthusiast who sees EVERYTHING, I can tell you there are only a few films per year that have the ability to get under my skin, and this is one of them. Although not a particularly sadistic or violent film, Molly's (newcomer Gretchen Lodge) descent into depravity is entirely convincing in a very realistic and unpleasant manor. Her back story is left intentionally vague, which makes the proceedings much more horrific. As horror fans we all know the downfall of over exposition...once we know exactly whats going on it's just not scary anymore. To say much more about the story could hinder one's viewing experience but I will say to make sure you CRANK your surround system or watch with headphones because the sound design is a vital part of the film. Many scenes feature sonic subtleties which could easily be missed, and constant attention to detail (take note of the crackle heard every time Molly drags a cigarette). So anyways, Lovely Molly has my vote for one of the year's best in horror, and I can't wait to see what's next for both Sanchez and Lodge.

Obviously the title is not meant literally. You also shouldn't be surprised if you start thinking this is another found footage movie. The movie was made by one of thinking heads behind "Blair Witch Project". But don't worry (or be happy?), this is not one of those movies. It actually is one of the regular horror movies.

The horror itself isn't that bad, though you will know where this is heading. The "twist" is a bit of a downer, almost bringing the whole thing down. On the other hand, some people might think this is funny. But what really was unnecessary was the ending. Just when you thought it should be over ... Cliché right around the corner

Molly (Gretchen Lodge) is a janitor who marries Tim (Johnny Lewis), a long distance truck driver. They move into her old family home, but since Tim is away a lot of the time, it leaves Molly alone with her unpleasant memories of her youth; obsessed with filming things, she comes to believe that there is some unholy, spectral presence in the house.

Commendably, Eduardo Sanchez, best known for "The Blair Witch Project", never dips his toes all the way into supernatural waters, preferring to leave us with an ambiguous take on a young woman losing her sanity and her health. This is also a young woman so deeply traumatized that it doesn't take much to send her over the edge. Indeed, she is a former junkie who is soon using once again. And Tim and Molly's sister Hannah (Alexandra Holden) are at their wits' end trying to cope with Molly's behaviour.

The film does keep visual effects to a bare minimum, but gives lovers of more visceral horror some good gore to enjoy. What "Lovely Molly" really is, is a good "slow burn" type of psychological horror film, the kind we don't get all that often in an era where genre cinema typically depends on jump scares. One of its main assets is the sound design, which Sanchez had perfected with BWP and a minimal budget. It's guaranteed to keep some viewers on edge. The other major point of interest is a gripping, bravura central performance by Lodge, who makes Molly sympathetic enough to sustain the films' 100 minute run time. But the acting from all of the principals is engaging, including Field Blauvelt as the genial Pastor Bobby.

Location shooting in Maryland, cinematography, production design, and music are all well done, but ultimately take a back seat to the journey undertaken by our haunted main character.

Seven out of 10.

A newly-wed couple move to a new home. This place was the childhood house of the wife, Molly. She experienced some trauma there as a child. Immediately on arrival strange frightening things begin to occur. As a recovering heroin addict, the terrifying events are put down by some to be the result of her returning to drugs. Her husband is mostly away from home because of his work, leaving Molly on her own. She films many things on a hand-held camera.

The latest film from Eduardo Sánchez, one of the co-directors of The Blair Witch Project, is a different kind of horror film from that one but with similarities. The film opens á la Blair Witch with a close up of a woman who is filming herself; she is in terror for reasons not yet understood. The videotaped material which appears throughout is generally a clear nod to that famous film. But that's where the similarities end, as Lovely Molly is a much more traditional supernatural horror movie. It's one of those films where the set-up allows for several possible answers to the unknown terror. Is the source of Molly's trauma the supernatural? Her inner demons? Is it drug-induced? By the end of the movie there are answers of sorts, although there remains an enigmatic quality. The audience are allowed to piece things together themselves. It's one of those pictures that you want to watch again after a first viewing to try to put together all the pieces of the puzzle.

Gretchen Lodge is excellent in the central role. It's a part which demands some emotionally fraught moments. Lovely Molly is all about the central character, most of everything is told from her perspective. Another significant contributing factor is the soundtrack. It's very eerie but it isn't typical horror music. The score is by the band Tortoise who are one of the pioneers of post-rock. The atmospherics they help create are pretty significant here; discordant humming and threatening sounds. Add to this the little weird details such as the horses' heads, the disconnected scenes of the neighbouring family or the weird shrine in the cellar. There are a lot of things to spook you out.

This has to go down as an excellent return to the horror genre by Sánchez. It has a good balance of suspense, mystery, weirdness and dramatics to ensure that Lovely Molly is one of the more interesting horror efforts of late.

The janitor Molly (Gretchen Lodge) marries the truck driver Tim (Johnny Lewis) and they move to the house of her deceased parents. Tim needs to drive and leaves Molly alone in the house. Soon Molly is haunted by her past and by her abusive father and she sees him in the house. Molly uses drugs again and records everything with her camera, expecting to prove that she is not crazy. Meanwhile, her sister Hannah (Alexandra Holden), Tim and his friend, Pastor Bobby (Field Blauvelt) try to help her, but Molly becomes dangerous and violent.

"Lovely Molly" is an ambiguous horror movie where it is not clear whether Molly is possessed by the evil spirit of her abusive father or whether she is mentally ill, after an incident with Tim and a neighbor a couple of days after her birthday. This is basically the debut of the unknown Gretchen Lodge and she delivers a top-notch performance. The screenplay is a little messy and the director fails in the conclusion, and maybe this is the reason of the bad reviews in IMDb. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Adorável Molly" ("Lovely Molly")