Jack Goes Home (2016)
Matt Boiselle
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Starring Rory Culkin, Lin Shaye, Daveigh Chase
Directed by Thomas Dekker
As I sat and watched Thomas Dekker’s psychological thriller Jack Goes Home, the first thought to rattle around in my normally cluttered skull was that this really wasn’t a conventional horror flick, and not that it’s a bad thing – this one will scare some, while making others scratch their heads – it’s all in the interpretation, and that’s what makes this film so damned interesting.
Jack (Culkin) is pompous, argumentative and basically the kind of soul that you’d like to bury your fist into on more than one occasion (well done, Mr. Culkin), and his already complex existence is further clouded with the fact that after a horrific car accident has claimed the life of his father, and leaving his mother (Shaye) to fend for herself (probably would’ve been better off), he then must move back to his childhood home and assume his new role of caretaker. After the return back to his old stomping grounds, he’s not entirely welcomed with open arms, and frankly who could blame them? All of these compounding circumstances cause Jack to delve deep into his own mind and harness more than a few memories he’d love to have forgotten. The line can become blurred rather quickly between Jack’s conscious and sub-conscious, and it will require some intent viewing, but it really is worth the investigative eyeballing.
Culkin is excellent in his portrayal of the brooding, acerbic young malcontent, and it lays the groundwork for a VERY dark film – the only thing to rival his performance is the work of Lin Shaye, offering up a comfortless, straight-laced portrayal of a mother whose overbearing ways are only superseded by her innate ability to get under Jack’s skin – talk about a winning twosome! The way the two bounce never-ending slices of vehement dialogue off of each other is simply grand to partake in, and it gives you the impression that a peaceful mother/son reconciliation is miles away. Now for the downside of the film: some of the dialogue can begin to gnaw away at your patience level (muddled is the key word here), and watching the assorted dream sequences will cause your mind to roll into that dreaded “WTF am I looking at here?” frame of thought. By the time we finally reach a conclusion in the film, it’s not without some seriously clunky roads traveled over in order to have gotten there. This emotionally disrupting film won’t make everyone dance for joy, that’s apparent, but there still is a bit of entertainment in watching someone’s mind slip ever so gently into the night – give this one at least a one-timer to see if it appeals to you.
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Film
Categorized:Reviews
