Swallow

Like another reviewer I imagined this was going to be about Pill addiction - a glimpse at the poster, the only thing I allowed myself or rather couldn't avoid seeing - other than that I did not read anything about the movie. So that looked like a pill thing ... and it turned out this is a different beast.

Now I imagine that most people who want to watch it (and of course those who already have) read up on the plot and are not like me avoiding any information at all costs. So you don't need me to tell you anything about that. What I will tell you, is that the movie is quite the tough and harrowing watch. And all the focus lies on the main female character. Everyone else is quite flat from a character standpoint. A bodyguard sort of type may have the most personality of them all.

But that did not make the movie any less intriguing. And while it seems impossible to have any sort of final resolution here ... you may agree with how the movie decides to end ... even if most likely you may not be able to really get a grip on everything she goes through, we do feel for her ...

A disturbing & distressing story of loneliness, trauma, compulsion & isolation that's driven by an exquisitely layered performance from its leading lady, Swallow follows a pregnant housewife living a seemingly idyllic but emotionally stifling domestic life until she develops an obsession that allows her to break free from her controlled & submissive environment.

Written & directed by Carlo Mirabella-Davis in his feature directorial debut, the story utilises a compulsive eating disorder as its narrative tool to cover a woman's journey from a subdued & compliant wife to regaining control over her body & life. The silent camerawork & gradual pace fit the premise, while the neat yet suffocating ambience aptly reflect her own domiciliary existence.

While it is unnerving & uncomfortable to watch her new obsession take over her life, even more unsettling is the lack of empathy from her husband & his parents as they tighten their grip over her life after learning about her psychological disorder. This is one story that never would've made it to the finish line without a strong performance to steer it through, and Haley Bennett more than delivers in that role.

Overall, Swallow is far from an easy sit and is also uneven at times but it manages to create intrigue & interest with its offbeat approach & eccentric story, and exhibits sophistication in several aspects. Bennet's fab performance is the glue that holds it together but if you went in expecting a psychological horror with good dose of thrills, then this indie is bound to leave behind a slightly underwhelming aftertaste. Still not for the squeamish.

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.

Originality within the bounds of reality is a rare achievement in film or cinema these days. Haley Bennett leaves us under no illusion of the psychological strain her past and present circumstances have had and are having on her. Tormented in so many ways as so many people are in these confusing, evolving and ever changing times - our hunter gatherer minds can find all that's thrown their way a little tricky to wash down, but there are ways to compensate.

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.