Mercedes Bryce Morgan’s 2022 double bill of Spoonful of Sugar and Fixation proved her to be an interesting new voice in genre cinema. Now just two years later, Morgan is back with Bone Lake. A very different film to either of her previous movies, Bone Lake is an erotic thriller of sorts, set around a luscious holiday home.
Sage (Maddie Hasson – a Florence Pugh Doppelganger) and Diego (Marco Pigossi) are a couple in need of intervention. Whilst on the surface they seem happy enough, it doesn’t take long to uncover cracks in their relationship. The two are on the precipice of change with Diego quitting work to begin writing a novel, placing Sage into the position of sole income earner. Before this new normal springs into effect, the pair splurge on a weekend away in a stunning secluded manor house. Their intended romantic getaway quickly unravels however, with the arrival of another couple, Cin (Andra Nechita) and Will (Alex Roe).
Cin and Will also have the location booked, an error causing an accidental double-booking. Rather than try to figure out which couple has a stronger claim to the building, the quartet decide to share. It doesn’t take long though for strange events to start happening as Will and Cin become overly invested in Sage and Diego’s relationship. As the weekend progresses the quiet getaway becomes a heady tonic of sex, lies, and manipulation.
The double-booked AirBnB has become a well worn new trope, not just within genre cinema, but across all movies. In the last five years there have been countless examples with Erik Bloomquist’s Weekenders, Zach Cregger’s Barbarian, and Justin Geldzahler’s Glue Trap being just three examples that spring to mind. What is most interesting is that, despite their similar set-up, each of these films are very different from one another. In Bone Lake, Morgan brings sex and sensuality to the setup. Rather than staying over the night before a meeting, or to focus on work, Sage and Diego are there to have a ‘clothing optional’ weekend. The addition of Will and Cin throws a spanner into this plan, or at least appears to, but it quickly becomes clear that this couple might be exactly who Sage and Diego need to get them back on track.
The performances of the core cast are pitch perfect. Each of them is slightly more complex than a simple stereotype, which gives the viewer something else to latch onto. Narratively it is Sage and Diego that the audience is expected to align with, but an argument can be made for Cin and Will. Of the two couples they have the edge in terms of stimulating the audience’s intrigue, though this is due to them being less of an open book than Sage and Diego. Initially presenting as the picture-perfect couple, their odd behaviour sets off alarm bells and leaves everyone questioning their intentions. Are they swingers, murderers, over friendly people with no concept of personal boundaries; a mixture of all three, or something even more sinister? Much of the audience investment is drawn from answering these questions.
Although the answer is far from the most mysterious of narratives around, Bone Lake is a lot of fun. Whilst it is easy enough to guess the intent behind certain characters, Bone Lake is never a tedious watch. Morgan encourages her cast to let loose so that the audience is seduced by the events that unfold. Once upon a time, back in the 80s and 90s, there was a swathe of erotic thrillers that audiences delighted in watching. The plots were never overtly serious, every one of their characters was gorgeous ,and they provided easy viewing. This is exactly the magic that Morgan has tapped into with Bone Lake. The film whizzes by in an instant; the more outlandish and soapy the plot gets, the further drawn into the world the audience becomes.
A seductive symphony of manipulation, sexuality, and paranoia, Bone Lake poses some excellent arguments around what makes a good relationship. Both of the onscreen couples are very different from one another, but when combined, they create a fun playground to explore more universal aspects of relationships. A departure from both Spoonful of Sugar and Fixation, which are more directly tied into horror cinema, Morgan proves herself a sturdy and stable director.
Bone Lake
Summary
Bone Lake places a beautiful cast inside an erotic thriller environment that would not look out of place a couple of decades ago. The result is a spiralling symphony of mistrust, sex, and manipulation that is wickedly entertaining.
Bone Lake was reviewed at Fantastic Fest 2024.
