Gwen

Gwen: A dark film set in even darker Welsh valleys and stoney mountain fields. The people are non-conformists, plain, unadorned crosses in their homes. But at the chapel it is clear that this is not a radical form of dissent, the minister praises the bounty of the bleak mountains and quarries. Things go bad for Gwen (Eleanor Worthington Cox) and her family, her father is away at war. blight strikes the potato crops, an animal heart is nailed to their door, their sheep are slaughtered. it rains even more incessantly than in Angela's Ashes. The quarry owner is intent on buying their land. An eerie atmosphere of dread builds up as the cinematography of Adam Etherington makes good use of dark and shadows, figures emerge from the mist, both the living and the dead. Gwen's mother (Maxine Peak) uses folk rites to combat the perceived curse on her family.

A tale of folk horror related in a gothic style reminiscent of Wuthering Heights yet also incorporating elements of The Witch. Evil is abroad but the real malevolence may be the quotidian horror of an impoverished people being manipulated into mob violence by their exploiter, A slow moving film which won't be to everyone's taste and the bleakness may even put Folk Horror aficionados off. But both Cox and Peak put in powerful performances. Writer/Director William McGregor has delivered an interesting addition to the British Folk Horror Canon. 8/10.

Not all that much happens in this one... and yet I still really enjoyed it.

First off the entire movie is visually breathtaking. Every shot I would hang up on my wall. The acting is also superb, the mother and older daughter really killed it. This is by far a slow burn and kind of lethargic but very atmospheric and still somehow engaging.

I want to say I would have loved to see the plot beefed up a bit, and I do ultimately feel this way... however, there was a real charm to the way this was executed. Some people will say this is a bore fest, and they should stick to their Marvel movies. Would recommend.

How on earth does this only rate a 6? The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. The storyline is highly suspenseful, the underlying message is compelling and outrageous. Perhaps it's not wise these days to portray unbridled capitalism in a negative light. Granted, there were some dramatic liberties taken, but the brutal enclosure movement, the rape of the countryside, and the outlandish greed and cruel masochism of early unregulated industrialism is no fairy tale. I recommend this film.

Stark, bleak and uncompromising portrayal of the life of a Welsh hill farm family, as demands of the industrial revolution encrouch in on their day to day existence. All depicted from the point view of eldest daughter Gwen, whose responsibilities mount as her mother's health fails, and she waits for news of her father's return from the army. While she can appreciate the beauty of the majestic North Wales landscape it cannot detracte from her struggles to keep the farm working, and the growing sense of unease as misfortunes continue to plague them, while the adults step out of ear shot to discuss issues of great importance, but the true subject remains unknown to her. The simple story is all it needs to be, as there is a uncomfortable atmosphere of mounting dread. With the sparse use of dialogue, and unknown nature of the conversations between her mother and those interested in the farmland, further elevating yours and Gwen's unease about what may befall them. For such a simple tale it is an incredibly uncomfortable watch at times and will stay with you long after a viewing.

Gwen is a dark and mysterious drama that is very solid in terms of storytelling, although it still leaves some question marks.

As a viewer of this film, I can feel the situation and the pain felt by Gwen. A teenage girl who misses the figure of the father, but on the other hand he must face the reality to face the mother who was hard on him. Although in the end Gwen will find out why her mother is being hard on her.

Many interesting points are used as a dressing for this film. Like the plague of cholera, the greediness, to the sense of disappointment towards God which leads to distrust. This film deserves more appreciation, also cinematography typical of the beautiful highlands of Britain, cold, quiet and full of mystery.

🌟 My Personal scor: 3.5 / 5