Having starred in Mandy, Birdman, Possessor and Luxor, Andrea Riseborough is an actor that you can always rely upon to pick interesting projects. The same is true with Riseborough’s new film, Here Before, which arrives in UK cinemas this Friday. Here Before debuted at last year’s SXSW festival and picked up early buzz for both its star and its first-time director, Stacey Gregg.
When a new family moves in next door, their young daughter, Megan (Niamh Dornan), quickly captivates Laura (Riseborough), stirring up painful memories of her own daughter who died several years previously. Before long, Laura’s memories turn to obsession as Megan’s unsettling behaviour begins to convince her of a supernatural connection between the two. As Laura’s determination to get to the bottom of it becomes all-consuming, her family begins to fracture and the line between the extraordinary and the real becomes ever more obscured in this haunting story about a mother’s love.
Here Before is a film that deals with the weight of grief, and how one never really overcomes a tragic loss, but rather learns methods of how to cope. It’s the unravelling of Laura’s system that forms the foundation of the narrative here as she begins to question whether the new girl next door is possibly the reincarnated version of her departed daughter. This rebirth of a loved one is a dream scenario that many cling to, but in Here Before it highlights the anguish and trauma that such a situation could manifest.
The back and forth of whether the reincarnation is real is complexly constructed and leaves the viewer guessing as much as Laura. It’s the mystery of the piece that makes it such an enticing watch. What makes the core enigma even more appetising is that the reveal of the truth manages to be satisfying. As with any good mystery movie, Here Before is just as exciting to watch on a repeat viewing, with elements missed the first time around shining through and providing a much richer experience.
With so much of the film revolving around a simple ‘is it or isn’t it’ theme, a lot of the work is left to the cast to flesh the world out, and in Riseborough and the young Dornan, Gregg has a worthy pair. The two play off of one another beautifully; they are somehow able to make their interactions playful and sinister at the same time. Niamh Dornan gives an exceptional performance for an actor so young. Her portrayal of Megan keeps the viewer on edge just as much as does Laura. There’s an unwavering commitment to the character that sells Megan’s conviction. Kids can be unwittingly cruel and Dornan infuses Megan with just enough to keep the audience wary of her and wonder whether she is intentionally causing the torment to Laura that she is.
Riseborough is once more at the top of her game as she inhibits Laura so completely that it’s hard to remember that she’s just a work of fiction. Tragically, there are many parents living through the ordeal of outliving a child, and Riseborough connects to that real-world horror; she sells the agony and suffering. Although fictitious, Laura is a conduit into a ‘be careful what you wish for’ scenario, one that presents the bleak truth that grief is a never-ending assault on the soul. Riseborough handles her with conscientious respect.
At barely eighty-five minutes, Here Before surges the story forward, whilst retaining a slow and steady build-up and reveal. The orchestration of the script and direction are harmonious, Gregg bursting onto the film scene with an abundance of talent. It’s not quite perfect, a few moments are in need of a little more context, and some of the montages jar a little tonally. Nonetheless, as first-time features go, Here Before is a solid debut that demonstrates a lot of promise for future projects.
Here Before
Summary
A mystery, wrapped in an enigma, hidden under a vast weight of grief, Here Before is made whole by its fantastic performances and talented creator.
Here Before arrives in select UK cinemas from Friday 18th February 2022.
