The writer of “The Orphanage,” Sergio G. Sánchez, makes his directorial debut
Spanish filmmaker Sergio G. Sánchez is perhaps best know for his work as writer on the outstanding Spanish horror film The Orphanage and Thai tsunami drama The Impossible. Those tales were brought to life by director J.A. Bayona, but for this outing the writer takes on that role himself. In doing so he revisits some of the themes that marked his earlier work. There are unnatural occurrences in the present, and a haunting past lingering over the occupants of a aging house.
Synopsis
Four siblings move to America with their mother to escape a troubled past. When she dies, they vow to stay together, no matter what. But when a ghostly presence torments what’s left of their family, and a lawyer threatens their pact, the four must stand together or be torn apart forever in this chilling thriller. From the producers of Pan’s Labyrinth and starring George Mackay (Captain Fantastic), Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch), Charlie Heaton (“Stranger Things”) and Mia Goth (A Cure for Wellness).
Marrowbone kicks off after the matriarch of a family (Nicola Harrison) absconds them away from England to her ancestral home in America, seeking refuge from the abuse from her husband (Tom Fisher). George MacKay (How I Live Now) stars as Jack, the eldest sibling and the one most heavily burdened by the responsibility of keeping the rest of the family safe. Jack, sister Jane (Mia Goth), and brothers Billy (Charlie Heaton) and Sam (Matthew Stagg) soon find themselves alone after their mother dies, leaving them with another burden. They must keep their mother’s death secret for a year, until Jack comes of an age where he can claim the house they live in. During this time he finds a local ally, and love interest, in librarian Allie (Anya Taylor-Joy), along with a competing suitor and threat to their secret in local lawyer Porter (Kyle Soller). All the while a specter seems to hang over them, one the threat of their father finding them, the other more supernatural in origin.
As the synopsis alludes, Marrowbone seeks to blend a period drama with psychological undertones and more than a healthy dose of supernatural shenanigans. Sergio G. Sánchez tonally draws from his Spanish roots, but with an American setting, and adds a distinct British sense of melodrama. It’s an unusual mix of styles that hints at the film’s real problem, a lack of focus. The film crams a lot on: multiple layers of sub-plots and styles, entangling period drama, romance, supernatural, and murder mystery. A six-month time jump feels like a cheat, a way to leave the audience a little lost and instill a mystery into proceedings, but admittedly works well, leading the audience to try and fill in the blanks or question different behavior on the part of the family. Suspense is admittedly built well, and Sánchez should be applauded for keeping a sense of mystery a long as he does, but once pieces start to fall into place, and questions get answered, the film’s momentum starts to fall apart and the muddle of genres gets more apparent.
The family lies at the core of the film, and the assembled cast have a good chemistry. George MacKay bears the burden well as Jack, while Mia Goth (A Cure for Wellness) again shows her off kilter tone aligning perfectly with this genre. Anya Taylor-Joy continues to show her natural talents in a role that is hamstrung by some contradictory aspects written into her character, one which even seems somewhat superfluous to the film’s burgeoning plot-lines. While Sánchez delivered an emotional punch with The Orphanage and The Impossible, Marrowbone is an altogether chillier affair, which is reflected in many of the characters and relationships. It’s an austere drama, starkly shot, with camera moments channeling mood, landscapes and locales drained of color, and shades of the past reflected in the aging surroundings. Marrowbone is quite beautiful at times, with Sánchez’s confidence behind the camera apparent, even if the writing is a little slapdash.
The Package
Marrowbone is a starkly beautiful film that embraces natural earthy tones and cooler hues. The transfer represents this aesthetic well, with no issues noticeable. Black levels are good, but some exterior daytime scenes look a tad washed out. Special features are minimal:
- Deleted Scenes
- Marrowbone Behind The Scenes: Short, mostly made up of a few on set interviews.
- Marrowbone Visual Effects Reel
The Bottom Line
There’s a lot of ambition apparent in Marrowbone, with Sánchez weaving together components of a period family drama, romance, supernatural and murder mystery. But in the end the film ends up being a Jack of all trades and master of none. A lack of structural and narrative focus detracts, but this is a film that undeniably demonstrates Sánchez has a natural aptitude for direction.
Marrowbone is available on Blu-ray and DVD from August 7th, 2018.