Emelie review
Director: Michael Thelin
Cast: Carly Adams, Thomas Bair, Chris Beetem, Sarah Bolger.
Cert: TBC
Running Time: 80 Minutes
Synopsis: After their regular babysitter “can’t make it”, the Thompson family turn to her friend Anna to look after the children while they go out for a rare night out to celebrate their anniversary. However, is this girl who they think she is?
Certainly aiming to terrify parents at this year’s FrightFest is the tense first full-feature film by Michael Thelin, Emelie. Apart from Halloween and When A Stranger Calls, there aren’t many films that present babysitting as a dangerous prospect. Films like Mary Poppins and Mrs. Doubtfire, show it to be a fun and wacky time for kids to have with interesting “mature” teenagers/adults. Has anybody wondered why parents so freely in these films, allow such strangers into their homes? Adventures In Babysitting for example, could have easily ended up with the children being harmed during its antics etc.
Just like Adam Wingard’s The Guest at last year’s FrightFest, Emelie offers viewers a nice twisted story of why we should be more careful of who we let through that front door of ours…
The film follows a simple premise: a family hiring a psychopath babysitter. It might sound too simple for some, however the director manages to give a little bit extra through the disturbing actions and behaviour of Emelie. She isn’t what she seems and at least in the beginning has an unnatural charm over her wards. Emelie is somewhat of an enigma to the viewer, the only information gleaned is that which Emelie tells the youngest child, through her personally made fairy-tale book.
Emelie review
The children seem to be entranced by Emelie’s views on the power of “pretending” and also letting them do as they please. This is short lived as Emelie’s behaviour starts to become weird and disturbing. Very disturbing, there’s a uncomfortable sequence involving a tampon but the eldest child realises enough is enough when Emelie finds and screens his parents blue movie.
The performances by the children were excellent, especially with the more intense and alarming scenes. Reminiscent at times of those 80s films where kids face off against terrible odds, the director keeps away from these homages presenting us with something fresh. The character growth of 11 year old Jacob is intriguing. At the start, he has no interest in his siblings just video games, and his parents want him to grow up (An 11 year old? Give the guy some slack!). By the end he’s learned an important lesson and in many ways becomes the man of the house.
Overall, Emelie is an impressive achievement for Michael Thelin and a great first time feature. His use of setting creates a place of isolation that feels like nobody can help you, even though you might live in a big neighbourhood! He is certainly somebody to look out for in the future!
Emelie review, Louise Tooth, August 2015.
Emelie takes over Frightfest’s main screens on Monday 31st August from 6:30pm.
