Review by Quin
You may have either seen or read about a film released last year called Motivational Growth. It’s been covered here quite a bit on Brutal as Hell (see Ben and Karolina’s reviews). I have to admit that I still haven’t seen the film, but my reading up on it has been so extensive, it feels like I’ve seen it. And, as I trust my colleagues’ opinions, I tend to think that I would probably have many of the same problems with it that others have been having. Now I don’t want to focus too long on that film – it’s kind of unfair for me to speculate too much in a review. A thought occurred to me that I just want to throw out there. Since Motivational Growth clearly seems to be a divisive film, and this appears to be a result of the filmmaker’s approach to the subject matter, what we need is something that covers similar ground, but does it differently in style and tone. Again, I’m doing a bit of guess work here, but I think Phobia might be the perfect antithesis. Even if it’s ultimately not, and I look back at this review next year and hate myself for it, I am going to go ahead and suggest seeing Phobia if you didn’t like that other aforementioned movie. If I’m wrong, or if you are like me and haven’t seen Motivational Growth (that’s the last time I’ll reference it, I promise), chances are you might like Phobia anyway. It’s a surprising and effective little indie horror film.
Jonathan MacKinley (Michael Jefferson) suffers from severe agoraphobia and hasn’t left his house in over a year. He has a job that allows him to work from home, transcribing voice recordings for various clients. He appears to take good care of himself. He exercises, he showers regularly, and his home – an old, two-story and somewhat claustrophobic house – is kept clean and tidy. Since he doesn’t leave the house, he has his groceries delivered and has regular visits from his best friend. For the most part, this is his only human contact. Oh, and his psychiatrist makes house calls. I don’t know how helpful that is for an agoraphobe, but I don’t have any training in psychology, so I’ll refrain from judging. But even Bill Murray’s character in What About Bob had to take all of those baby steps into the city to see his therapist. Phobia takes us through Jonathan’s existence day by day. We learn more about him from his conversations with the people who visit him, especially when a pretty young woman starts delivering his groceries. Although he is initially nervous, he gets over it quickly and the two hit it off rather well. Eventually she’s hanging out even when she doesn’t have a delivery.
It may sound like Phobia is a love story. I suppose it is to a certain extent. But the film presents Jonathan’s agoraphobia in a way that the viewer can identify with. We experience some of his triggers in a visual way – for instance, when he opens the door for a visitor and the frame is flooded with light. We also get to experience the visions he sees. There is a moment early on when Jonathan is typing at his computer. The hand of a female figure comes into the shot and gently sweeps his cheek. He doesn’t react at all to this. As the film progresses, he sees a woman dressed in a black veil and a man dressed like him holding a knife. He clearly notices these figures and reacts to them. So the burning question all throughout Phobia is – is Jonathan being haunted or is he going mad?
Phobia is the first feature film directed by Rory Douglas Abel. He also wrote the script with Matthew Barnes and it’s their first screenplay as well. For a first film, these guys did remarkably well. The story moves along slowly but organically, keeping an even tone throughout. Most of the shocking scenes have a nice buildup so there aren’t a lot of jarring transitions. The direction is solid; as I said before, the tricks used to show the viewer what it’s like to experience agoraphobia are very effective but not overused. The acting is mostly very good. Much of it feels like the work you would see from an actor in a stage play. There are a few places where certain lines are given awkwardly, but I think that is more of a misstep with the writing. There is also a scene where the dialogue is clearly dubbed. It was really distracting for me, but it only lasted a couple of minutes. I watched this movie via an online screener, so this could have been an issue with that. If not, it would be nice if this could be fixed before the film’s official release.
There is also the tiny matter of the film poster. I understand that the marketing for a film is done by the distributor with input from the investors and it’s out of the hands of the people who lovingly and painstakingly toiled over the making of the film. But this garbage poster has nothing to do with the movie. It has a Clockwork Orange style, eyes pried open forcibly, while bugs crawl all over the face. The main character has agoraphobia, not insomnia. In fact, even though he’s a nervous guy, he always seems well rested. And there are no bugs crawling on anybody in this. That was the last movie I reviewed. This kind of advertising will probably draw the wrong audience. These people will tell their friends that it’s terrible and boring because there were no bugs. And the film will fade into obscurity. I am pleading with anyone who has any power over this – if you can fix that scene with the bad dubbing, go ahead and pull that awful poster while you’re at it. And for everybody else reading this, don’t look at that poster, and if you do disregard it. I’m doing my part to contribute to some damage control here.
I have to point out some similarities between Phobia and another film I reviewed earlier this year – I Am A Ghost. The two films are set in a single location which happens to be an old two story house, The interior of both houses look very similar. Both films have a central character who cannot leave their home. One is dead and one is alive. But in both, they are battling demons that may be real or imagined. I Am A Ghost was one of my favorite films of the year and is the far superior, and deeper film of the two, but Phobia holds its own and is a rewarding view for both fans and non-fans of the horror genre. I will definitely be looking to see what Abel and Barnes do next.
Phobia will be available on DVD from RLJ/Image entertainment on November 25, 2014.