Elle O’Hara gives a starling performance in Cara. A debut feature from writer and director Hayden Hewitt, Cara receives its world premiere at this year’s Pigeon Shrine FrightFest, and whilst initially the audience may be perplexed about its inclusion, it doesn’t take long for the true horror residing within to make itself known.
Cara is a troubled young woman. Having spent time in an institution, she is determined to never return, no matter how severely her mental health declines. Failed by those around who are meant to be looking after her, Cara has fallen through the cracks of society. She lives with an equally broken flatmate and by night earns money as an extreme cam girl. The problem though is that most of her patrons are people that she knows, and these men use their knowledge as leverage over her. What none of them realise however, is that Cara has a disturbing plan for all those that have wronged her.
The first half of Cara plays like a taut psychological thriller crossed with a domestic drama. The men that hover around her are toxic, and some intense scenes between Cara and one of her subscribers is agonising to watch play out. A peek into this man’s personal life, in which he is revealed to be married, adds a further layer of disgust to the interactions. Amongst these men though is John (Johnny Vivash). Initially he seems kind and softhearted, but in reality he is far from it. The casting of John is genius as Vivash is well known to the FrightFest crowd for playing his sympathetic characters. Here there is not a trace of that persona, and this version will surely give viewers cause to pause before approaching him after the FrightFest screening.
It is in Cara’s second portion that the more conventional horror elements begin to appear. Blood is shed, people are tortured, and all kinds of Hell breaks loose during the finale. It is a long time coming, but once it arrives, it doesn’t hold back. Whilst these moments are pleasing, it is Hewitt’s use of colour much earlier in the film that forms the strongest component of Cara. Before the horror begins, Cara goes about her daily life, but is plagued by intrusive thoughts. These are conveyed through, not just people suddenly saying awful things to her, but also a shift in colour. It works to highlight her inner monologue and ensures that the audience understands that these people are not really saying such words to her.
Cara’s other strong suit is the performance of Elle O’Hara. The character is put through an emotional and physical wringer; a lesser performer would have crumbled. O’Hara however manages to maintain a strength within Cara. This is kept somewhat hidden initially, but becomes clearer as the audience see that this ‘weak’ version of her is somewhat performative in order to get the other players where she needs them. The payoff for Cara is not as rewarding as one would hope, but its conclusion makes further commentary on various societal systems and how they are failing people. Overall a robustly made film that makes great use of location, budget and performers, making for a fine debut from Hayden Hewitt.
Cara
Summary
Cara presents an interesting look into a broken psyche before giving the FrightFest attendees the bloodshed they have been waiting for.
Cara was reviewed at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest 2024. Cara is set for a digital release on 3 Feb 2025 following its World Premiere at FrightFest 2024.
