Score. I dont think anyone outside of Dekker himself can truly unpack the type of psychological chaos occurring within Jack Goes Home, and I like that notion. Some unsettling imagery couples with a dreamlike waltz through personal strife, yet come the films twisted finale, Dekker loses grasp of the self-discovery at stake. But the latter isnt deflating as much as unexpected. (imdb) TCI. This may be the intent since it is supposed to be a journey into the mind of a mentally disturbed man, but it doesnt feel intentional and the film grows tedious quickly. This is a mind reconciling past and present through a filter of hurt, his potential future a beacon of light extinguished, with his homecoming possessing much more than he bargained for. People cope in infinite ways, and Dekkers appropriation of Jack is meant to show mans ability to teeterat wits end a brutal inner tumble that continually drags us down to deeper depths. As the story progresses and the insanity crescendos with monsters crawling and hands reaching out of shadows, we become disoriented enough to buy it all as reality or fiction, depending on where Dekker decides to go. You can follow his cinematic viewing habits at Letterboxd. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. The Pod Generation / Belgium, France, U.K (Director and Screenwriter: Sophie Barthes, Producers: Genevive Lemal, Yann Zenou, Nadia Kamlichi, Martin Metz) In a not-so-distant future, amid a society madly in love with technology, tech giant Pegazus offers couples the opportunity to share their pregnancies via detachable artificial wombs or pods. She becomes drunk, belligerent and downright cruel. Follow him on Twitter @mrandrewhawkins, Search the world's largest fan wiki platform. Then we meet his mother, Teresa (Lin Shaye), who survived the fatal crash that killed his dad, and realize how similar her calm, pragmatic demeanor is until a violent streak unleashes with paranoia and hubris. Jack (Rory Culkin) receives terrible news that his father has passed away in a car accident and only his mother (Lin Shaye in a scene-stealing performance) has survived. Give this one a chance and I think youll like it. Theres no question that Thomas Dekkers sophomore effort as writer-director is a head-scratcher. Cast: Andrew Bowser, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Jeffrey Combs, Ralph Ineson, Rivkah Reyes, T.C. It seeks divisiveness by throwing the kitchen sink of horrific tragedies onto Jack Thurlowe (Rory Culkin) until he can no longer breathe before letting him stew simultaneously unhinged and deceptively anticlimactic. AUSTRALIAS MONSTER FEST ANNOUNCES FIRST WAVE OF F my very brief thoughts on. 'The Gingerdead Man'. There, he uncovers long-buried secrets and lies within his family history, his parents, his friends and his very identity. A still from Divinity by Eddie Alcazar, an official selection of the NEXT section at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Cast: Evelyne Ily, Uzoamaka Aniunoh, Kelechi Udegbe, Emeka Amakeze, Rita Edochie, Tough Bone. In the 2012 film "Jack Reacher," a horrible crime is committed in Pittsburgh: five people are coldly executed by a sniper. Most horror films begin where this one ends, focusing on a monster unleashed after unwittingly spending decades trapped inside his mind. It is worth a watch just for the talent involved and the bizarreness of the whole thing. As Jacks volatile mother, Shaye has an absolute field day as well; I have notseen suchagleeful delivery of truly searing dialogue in a while, and it is great to see this genre vet finally get to revel in such a colorfully villainous role. As he slowly begins to uncover truths about himselfin the process, Jacks world and sanity areturned upside down in the most nightmarish ways. Courtesy of Sundance Institute. Unraveling those mysteries is what this film does best, as each revelation causes the hero to question everything hes believed about his life. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, The Scream 6 publicity stunts hit closer to home, prompting 911 calls in Sonoma, Review: Andrea Riseborough and campy Please Baby Please deconstruct gender and the 1950s, Bruce Willis steps out with friends after announcement of dementia diagnosis, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, 15 arrested across L.A. County in crackdown on fraudulent benefit cards, Concerns about Bruce Willis declining cognitive state swirled around sets in recent years, Disneys Peter Pan & Wendy trailer criticized for depictions of Hook and Tinker Bell, Gayle King surprises Angela Bassett with her Whats Love Got to Do With It dress, Review: Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre is classic Guy Ritchie and not in a good way, Review: The teen drama Palm Trees and Power Lines tells a searing story of abuse, Review: The documentary Ithaka attempts a difficult defense of Julian Assange, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles. Jack is a troubled character with a sharp, cynical wit and a tortured soul. This is the snap people talk about: that indefinable moment where the person you couldnt fathom doing anything heinous transforms into a killer without rhyme or reason. When he returns to his childhood home Jack discovers nothing is what it seems. With devastating and terrifying results. You say you dont believe it, but a voice at the back of your head laughs, knowing it was always a possibility. Just understand what youre getting yourself into. Jack Goes Home is a 2016 American independent horror film written and directed by Thomas Dekker and starring Rory Culkin, Daveigh Chase, Nikki Reed, Britt Robertson, Lin Shaye, Natasha Lyonne, Louis Hunter, and Serge Levin. What are you most excited to see at Sundance next year? As their relationship deepens, Heathers growing desires clash with her darkest secret, forcing her to control the animal within. A still from My Animal by Jacqueline Castel, an official selection of the Midnight section at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. PREMIERES Jack returns to his hometown to look after his injured mother (Lin Shaye), who becomes increasingly irritable as he begins poking around the house. When he returns to his childhood home Jack discovers nothing is what it seems. Fiction projects from emerging artists around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles. Thomas Dekkers (John Carpenters Village of the Damned) second directorial debut, titled Jack Goes Home, a slightly flawed, but suspenseful slow burn, that builds to a conclusion that will leave you wanting to watch the movie one more time. He escapes from the facility and goes back to what used to be his home. Jack becomes an utterly fascinating character from the get-go, the arrival of best friend Shanda (Daveigh Chase) sparking a violent sleepwalking fit wherein he growls about the attic only rendering him more so. Home embracesthe prodigal son, if only to help console and care for Teresa during what should be a time of need but Jack is the one who seems to be unraveling. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Marking his first major directorial debut(if you dont count 2008s Whore, an impossible-to-find indie drama he also wrote and starred in),Jack Goes Home is a polarizing, but deeply personal look into the dark recesses of death, family secrets, and grief. Jack Goes Home(2016) Plot Showing all 1 items Jump to: Summaries(1) Summaries After his father is killed in a car crash, Jack travels home to Colorado to help nurse his mother (who was injured in the crash) back to health. This movie works well within the mystery and horror genre. Infinity Pool / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Brandon Cronenberg, Producers: Karen Harnisch, Andrew Cividino, Christian Piovesan, Noah Segal, Rob Cotterill, Anita Juka) James and Em are enjoying an all-inclusive beach vacation when a fatal accident exposes the resorts perverse subculture of hedonistic tourism, reckless violence, and surreal horrors. Fiction. All of the other actors do their best with the material they are given (particularly Shaye, who has never been more fun), but they can only do so much with Dekkers script, which unfortunately does them no favors. When the foreman brutally turns on Rosas father, she sets out for justice, seeking help from the king of a powerful organization of sorcerers. There are large chunks of dialogue throughout particularly between Jack and Shanda and Jack and his mother that take heavily analytical and philosophical stances on death, love, and loss. Jack soon finds himself haunted by nightly sleepwalking fits and clues that lead to buried pasts, all of which suggest his life is nothing as believed. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. How could you not wonder about a hyper-literal pedant staring daggers into your eyes as he breaks down your inferiority with an effortlessly constructed line of dialogue utilizing vocabulary that either frustrates your ignorance or stings as their meaning sears into your skin? International Premiere. The House That Jack Built is a disturbing story a psychopath who narrates five random murders that he had committed over a period of 12 years. He imbues Jack with just enough endearing qualities that you will find yourself easily empathizing with his plight, The problem is that after a certain point in the filmJack becomes an unreliable narrator, and many viewers may find it difficult to connect with a lead character that they cannot trust. Most of it doesnt work, but when it does it shows an enormous amount of potential from Dekker as a director. Mami Wata / Nigeria (Director and Screenwriter: C.J. World Premiere. Some of what Dekker throws at us helps in his gradual psychotic break, but a lot works towards distracting us from him as well as setting up a climax that proves more forced than revelatory without ever letting Shanda question peculiarities in view of the audience. Anonymous. Jacks lifelong friend Shanda (Daveigh Chase) is there to help him, along with a mysterious next door neighbour, Duncan(played by Louis Hunter), who also wants to help him out through these hard times. The Ending Of Jack Reacher Explained. Dekker has rounded up quotean impressive cast for Jack Goes Home. When Jack tells his fiancee that his father is dead, its understandable for Jack to not emote as he is in shock,but his fiancees reaction to the news was borderline unsympathetic. Watch a 2.5-Hour Conversation with Steven Spielberg, Todd Field, Daniels, Martin McDonagh & Joseph Kosinski, Cate Blanchett Dances Through It In Video for Sparks New Single The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte, 5 Must-See Films from Berlin Critics Week 2023, The B-Side Benicio Del Toro (with Chadd Harbold), The 11 Scariest Films of All-Time, According to Martin Scorsese, Berlinale Review: Bas Devos Near-Perfect, Berlinale Review: Jesse Eisenberg-Led Incel Cult Film. All the labels that In Poor Taste covers. jack goes home explained spoiler. Revenge, grief and piercingsecrets make Jack Goes Home quite the interesting genre hybrid, butThomas Dekkers disparaging darkness might rely a bit too heavily on haunted aesthetics. Though uneven at times, the filmgreatlybenefits from such aunique and emotionally enveloping approach, at least for this reviewer. Where we let the fear creep in with all things horror genre. The Kindred Standard Edition Blu-ray Review (Synapse Films), Running Out of Time Blu-ray Collection Review (Arrow Video), God Told Me To 4K UHD/Blu-ray Review (Blue Underground). While Dekker leaves things too esoteric, plot-wise, to spring a seemingly concrete resolution without warning, he never falters in tone. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"psbHwrxAObzS4YwW.4ATJ7Lu._xdAuyo0LnKho8Hu5Y-1800-0"}; Cast: Bobbi Salvr Menuez, Amandla Stenberg, Stephen McHattie, Heidi von Palleske, Cory Lipman, Joe Apollonio. Without delving any further into the story, lest I ruin it all, I will say that Jack Goes Home is a type of film that comes off slow at first, but as the movie progresses, it starts becoming more and more interesting. Jack Goes Home is a 2016 American independent horror film written and directed by Thomas Dekker and starring Rory Culkin, Daveigh Chase, Nikki Reed, Britt Robertson, Lin Shaye, Natasha Lyonne, Louis Hunter, and Serge Levin. The film premiered at the South by Southwest international film festival and was theatrically released on October 14, 2016. Whether you like the filmor not, Im sure that still feels pretty damn good. Percentile. Fiction. Dekkers combination of Eugene ONeil and The Shining ultimately proves too unwieldy, especially when the secrets start raining down hard in the final half-hour. Upon hearing the news, Jack promptly heads home to be there for the funeral and to be a support system for his mother, Teresa. Talk to Me / Australia (Director and Screenwriter: Danny Philippou, Director: Michael Philippou, Screenwriter: Bill Hinzman, Producers: Samantha Jennings, Kristina Ceyton) When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an ancient embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill. That being said, understanding that Dekker wrote the film about his depression following his fathers death in 2010 helps to put the film in a better context: this is Dekkers depressed state of mind represented on film. The film begins roughly 60 years after the invasion took place, and the Scavengers as they are termed by the humans, attacked and destroyed the Earth's moon, causing the effects of lunar gravity on Earth to go berserk, resulting in a number of natural calamities. Grappling with the natural release of his childhood and the promise of his forthcoming adulthood, he is hit hard by the news of his father's death. This under-directed muddle is punctuated by over-directed dream sequences and scare scenes that lean heavily on images cribbed from horror classics like Repulsion and Suspiria. jack goes home explained spoiler. By Noel Murray. This is an artist using his medium as an outlet to exorcise demons without necessarily factoring in audience expectations. There isnt a lot of motivation for many of the things that characters do, and while a third act twist does explain the reasoning for this, its too little, too late. Jack is an educated and well versed magazine editor living in Los Angeles. Thematic and stylistic idiosyncrasiesaside, audiences are most likely to agree that Jack Goes Homeslead performances are its highlight. The film veers almost at random from ghost story to family drama to erotic thriller to black comedy. In its better moments, like the scenes that pit Jack against his mother in increasingly hysterical confrontations, Jack Goes Home suggests the fever-pitched outlandishness of 1970s horror films like Alice, Sweet Alice and The Baby, but more often Dekker resorts to talky, rhythm-less dialogue scenes filmed in bland, undifferentiated close-ups. Jack Goes Home is a 2016 American independent horror film written and directed by Thomas Dekker and starring Rory Culkin, Daveigh Chase, Nikki Reed, Britt Robertson, Lin Shaye, Natasha Lyonne, Louis Hunter, and Serge Levin. Cast: Marin Ireland, Judy Reyes, A.J. There isnt a weak link in the bunch, save for maybe Louis Hunter as Jacks flirtatious neighbor Duncan, who seems think he isacting in a soap opera. In My Mothers Skin / Philippines (Director and Screenwriter: Kenneth Dagatan, Producers: Bradley Liew, Bianca Balbuena, Huang Junxiang, Stefano Centini) Stranded in the Philippines during World War II, a young girl finds that her duty to protect her dying mother is complicated by her misplaced trust in a beguiling, flesh-eating fairy. Movie Insider is a registered service mark of The Movie Insider LLC. Beauty Gonzales appears in In My Mothers Skin by Kenneth Dagatan, an official selection of the Midnight section at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Its that time of the year again when the Sundance Film Festival shares all of its horror discoveries that well be seeing in the next few years. Project: Nightlight Has Delayed March 3 Release, New Beta Early Access Gameplay Trailer Gives Diablo IV Fans a Taste of Hell [Video]. The film had its premiere atThe SXSW Music, Film and Interactive Conferences and Festivals on Sunday night. Cast: Stephen Dorff, Moises Arias, Jason Genao, Karrueche Tran, Bella Thorne, Scott Bakula. World Premiere. Courtesy of Sundance Institute. While many of these exchangesare sure to induce eye rollsin some,I am sure there will be many viewers who willfind enlightening perspectives peppered throughout Dekkers script. He and his best childhood friend Shanda travel back home. The film premiered at the South by Southwest international film festival and was theatrically released on October 14, 2016. Writer-director Thomas Dekkers Jack Goes Home turns one familys dark, twisted past into an invisible monster, haunting the mind of a grief-stricken young man.