‘Starve Acre’ review: Dir. Daniel Kokotajlo (2023)

Based on the novel of the same name by Andrew Michael Hurley, Starve Acre is a moody and atmospheric tale of grief and myth. It stars Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark as married couple Richard and Juliette who come unstuck after the tragic death of their young son, Owen.

Sharing some interesting links to Stephen King’s Pet Sematary, Starve Acre demonstrates the extreme lengths that some will go to in order to be reunited with someone they lost. As in Pet Sematary, the grief revolves around the loss of a child. Rather than revel in the shock and awe of a resurrected child as in King’s work, Starve Acre focuses on the legend that is Jack Grey, a Green Man type myth local to Richard and Juliette. In the aftermath of Owen’s death, archeologist Professor Richard becomes fixated on continuing his late father’s research into the Occult legend, leading to a series of messy events for the couple.  

Directed by Daniel Kokotajlo, Starve Acre is exceptionally good at capturing the melancholy of Richard and Juliette’s inner turmoil. He also proves himself to be an expert at creating tension, as right from the opening moment, every scene is saturated with dread. Whereas the novel begins after Owen’s death, the film starts shortly before. This allows the viewer to see the family as a unit and understand the intricacies of their dynamic. They are not the picture perfect family that is usually seen. The trio clearly have their issues, and Owen’s sudden change in behaviour turns husband against wife as they each want to deal with the situation in different ways. Then, before anything can be resolved, he is dead. This opens the door for each parent’s guilt and anguish to rise to the surface; both Smith and Clark give stunning, heartbreaking performances. 

A film steeped in heartache, the atmosphere created by Kokotajlo is almost suffocating in places. Set primarily within the walls of the couple’s quaint cottage, there is a claustrophobic quality to Starve Acre that makes the viewer feel just as trapped as both Richard and Juliette are. Even the arrival of Juliette’s sister, Harrie (Erin Richards), can’t help lighten the mood. Harrie has arrived to check on her near catatonic sister, and whilst she is a breath of fresh air, when sat inside the house, she too becomes devoid of vibrancy. Were Starve Acre to solely focus on the trauma of bereavement, it would be just as compelling; that the film then ventures into the Occult and supernatural however, makes it an especially dark and absorbing tale. 

Richard’s research brings him face to face with a terrifying hare. Those that thought the bunny in Caveat was unsettling should hunker down because the creature in Starve Acre is fresh nightmare fuel. Brought to life by puppetry, the hare is hard to look at for too long, its strangeness conjuring disturbing thoughts for the viewer, its malevolence palpable. Kokotajlo accompanies this creepy creature with some horribly sinister sound design. The simple sound of a heart beating almost swallows the audience whole, and when juxtaposed against the silence of Richard and Juliette’s grief, is near deafening. 

Starve Acre is a film that captures mood, atmosphere, tension, and temperature like no other. Not only has Kokotajlo created a stifling environment thick with sadness, he also manages to put the audience on edge. Furthermore, the director effortlessly captures that seasonal chill of autumn, making September the ideal time to release the film. In replicating the look of the season, Kokotajlo draws the viewer in, transporting them to the cold cottage and making them feel chills as though they were really there. The director truly has created a beautifully terrifying setting in which Clark and Smith can play, and both of them draw from their location to fully convey the depths of their characters’ plight. As Starve Acre approaches its finale, both actors venture into incredibly dark territory and are so convincing in their convictions that they induce goosebumps. 

With Starve Acre, Daniel Kokotajlo distorts the cosy cottage core vibe, allowing the despair of its protagonists to stain what is typically viewed as wholesome. Fans of the source novel will likely have a few niggles as several aspects are changed to better serve the film. When viewed outside of the novel however, Starve Acre remains a solid entry into the ever expanding folk horror subgenre. Kokotajlo opts for the slow and sinister approach, generating maximum terror from minimum output; the inclusion of a very upsetting creature further ensures that some will not sleep peacefully after viewing. 

Starve Acre arrives in UK cinemas from Friday 6th September 2024.