Resurrection (2022) User Reviews

All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go

[Minnesota_Reid · 6/10 · 14 May 2022]

Rebecca Hall convincingly portrays a successful business executive who begins to get glimpses of the man who psychologically tortured and abused her when she was a young woman. Tim Roth plays this sicko and does it well.

Hall's character is stressed both by her job and by her overprotected daughter leaving for college. She sees her vulnerable younger self both in her daughter and in a young intern at work who asks her advice about a bad relationship. And Hall's character has never really dealt with what happened to her years before.

So, from the start, you wonder, are these new sightings of Roth real, or is she having a psychotic breakdown? The tension between these two alternatives provides the tension of the movie.

The problem is, eventually the filmmaker has to choose, and neither choice can lead to an ending that is both interesting and credible. (I suppose the occasional filmmaker never does choose, which is by far the worst decision.)

On the whole, this is not my kind of film, but it is pretty well done.

Don't take it literally!

[dagnabbitdog · 6/10 · 10 March 2023]

I won't summarise the plot, this has been done ad nauseam, usually by the people who insist that the movie is stupid and not worth watching. If you haven't seen the film yet, you're better off going in blind. You may hate it, but you'll get much more out of it if you have a chance to go along with the journey and decide for yourself it's merits and meaning.

Instead I just want to posit a theory to bare in mind if watching for a second time...

I think that the return of Tim Roth is occurring entirely in Rebecca Hall's mind as she struggles and fails to come to terms with her daughter's pregnancy, growing up and moving away.

The inability to come to terms with the loss of her first baby is such a traumatic stressor that her mind retreats to it when it cannot cope with the impending 'loss' of another child. Her mental pain is rationalised by her as a return to the physical abusive pain that she experienced as a young woman.

In the final scene that is often taken as a dying hallucination she finallyaccepts the pregnancy and loss, handing the baby to it's mother who is moving out and moving on with her life.

Tim Roth is the avatar of her emotional breakdown but by killing him she is killing and coming to terms with her current emotional trauma.

There's little that's explicit in the film to necessarily support this reading but it's the conclusion that the ending made me come to.

Even if I'm barking up the wrong tree and twisting my mind into a strange kindness, I think it's an interesting thing to consider.

Your opinion of course may vary!

Really wanted to like this

[tomqcollins · 5/10 · 7 August 2022]

Great acting, directing and cinematography cannot save what amounts to a big old nothing burger of a story/plot.

The film is very engaging to watch, sets were chosen well, Albany, NY makes an interesting backdrop.

But after we're fully introduced to the villain, the story stops making any rational sense. It's just not believable.

A layered take on the lasting effects of trauma! [+69%]

[arungeorge13 · 7/10 · 16 September 2022]

Resurrection is a bit all over the place in its tone & pacing, but it's sufficiently tense, having multiple interpretations to offer, and underlined by an outstanding Rebecca Hall performance. Andrew Semans layered scripting & direction coupled with Hall's nerve-wracking performance constitute the soul of the movie. Where it slightly falters is in its sudden and not-so-smooth transition from what seems like a typical stalker-thriller into something much deeper and psychologically affecting. This is primarily because the film doesn't ask you to suspend disbelief in its first act, and then all of a sudden, it does. But the more I pondered over the whole thing, the knots began untangling themselves.

Margaret (Hall) has seemingly had a very troubling past, detailed over a stunning, single-take monologue that hits you out of the blue. But before even this happens, we sense her trigger. She "sees" her former abuser at a conference and her mind goes down a rabbithole. For 21 years, Margaret has somehow managed to subdue her traumas, having found solace in her teenage daughter, and the occasional fling with her married co-worker Peter. The return of David Moore (Tim Roth) becomes too much for her to handle. Her demeanor changes (reflected in how she acts overprotective of her daughter and the indifference shown to the friendly intern), and some of those ugly memories keep resurfacing in the form of nightmares.

We can interpret the entirety of the final act in multiple ways. The perspective that made most sense to me, is perceiving David as a long-gone traumatic imprint that revists Margaret from time to time. The hints were in the first act itself - the tooth that Abbie shows her mum; later, we see David missing a tooth when he smiles. David successfully manipulates Margaret into doing difficult tasks (which he calls "kindnesses") even when he's not around or watching. He is, apparently, also a key factor in Abbie's "accident". Is he an omnipotent presence? The question remains.

Yes, of course, it's all happening inside Margaret's head. Her PTSD is forcing her to manifest these episodes, slowly blurring the lines between real and imagined. She only seeks sex from the co-worker and nothing more, probably due to her past relationship with David. She only feels in control when she's advising her intern to get out of a bad relationship, but the rest of the time, David (who's probably still stuck in a corner of her mind) is "controlling" her. The final glowy, dream-like sequence is indeed her mind trying its best to supress the trauma, even for a little while. The anti-climactic gasp at the end only reinstates that!

just one kindness

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 28 July 2022]

Greetings again from the darkness. You never want to be the ex-partner who causes a panic attack for another person ... especially after 22 years apart. Writer-director Andrew Semans puts a face to whatever you call the opposite of a dream partner or role model by casting Tim Roth as David Moore. However, before we first glimpse Roth's David, we meet Margaret (Rebecca Hall), a woman who seems to have seized control over every part of her life. Her apartment is immaculate. Her business attire classy. Her glass-paned manager's office efficient. Her married-co-worker-with-benefits at her beck and call. Her speedy runs through town keep her focused and fit. Her about-to-turn 18-year-old daughter is prepped for college. Yep, every aspect of Margaret's life is under control.

Most of us know what happens when we are arrogant enough to believe we are in control - life usually slaps us with a dose of reality. For Margaret, the hints are there. A tooth found in her daughter's wallet. A bike ride gone wrong. A glimpse across the room at a seminar. Another at the shopping mall. And finally, a confrontation in the park. This is how, after 22 years, David drops back into her life - a stalker creating turmoil, doubt, and anxiety. By this point, we've seen Margaret doling out advice to young intern Gwyn (Angela Wong Carbone) on how to handle a manipulative boyfriend - one she deems sadistic. Margaret appears strong and is counseling Gwyn on how to be strong and find someone worthy of her love. It's this conversation, along with how Margaret hovers over her daughter Abbie (Grace Kaufman), that tells us Margaret has a past that's not as perfect as her present.

Margaret's backstory is told via a single-shot extended monologue where she recounts her relationship with David. It's a stunning bit of acting by Ms. Hall, and filmmaking that not only explains the emotional baggage weighing down Margaret, but also makes her relatable. The moment is so taut with emotion that it ends with a kinda-sorta punchline from Gwyn. The first two acts build tension and hint at the bizarre nature of the long-ago David/Margaret relationship, and the "kindnesses" (twisted shows of loyalty and devotion) involved, but we simply can't prepare ourselves for the 'off-the-rails' occurrences in the final act.

Wyatt Garfield's cinematography and the muted colors of every scene and set, enhance the feeling of suspense and pending trauma. The film provides an excellent example of the long-reaching impact of mind-control, gaslighting, and sadistic manipulation as one person tries to control another. Since Margaret refuses to come clean with her daughter, Abbie is convinced her heading off to college is causing her mother's breakdown. Instead, the psycho-thriller goes much deeper in showing just how Margaret's vulnerability at a young age has stuck with her more than two decades later, and no amount of Helen Reddy's "I am Woman" can break the spell ... it requires action to stifle a diabolical jerk like David.

Ms. Hall is outstanding and believable in the role, and without her performance, the story would seem like a parody of the genre. She has quite a career of playing the victim, which seems to come naturally to her, as she's proved in such films as CHRISTINE (2016). Mr. Roth is a multi-talented actor and doesn't shy away from becoming a despicable face of evil. Both are 'all-in' for these characters, as is Grace Kaufman, who has worked consistently as an actor since the age of nine, mostly in TV roles. While I'm not a huge fan of the third act or the ending, there is plenty here to admire.

Opens in theaters on July 29, 2022.

Fabulous acting, horrible film

[phoenixashes33 · 3/10 · 6 October 2022]

I hated it. I love Rebecca Hall and Tim Roth but I had to struggle to get through this. It's the most uncomfortable and annoying film I've seen in recent memory. You just want to shake someone or slap em.

It's a slow burn that goes haywire somewhere and everything you thought you knew goes out the window.

It honestly gave me a migraine by the end.bWhich, I'll say nothing about but....yeesh.

The acting is phenomenal but Hall is always fantastic to watch. I can't even imagine what this film would have been with someone else cast.

It's dark, it's disturbing and really maddening. If that's up your alley, go for it. I however will not be recommending it to anyone or watching it again.

Hall and Roth both work great together

[chenp-54708 · 7/10 · 20 April 2022]

Saw this back at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival

"Resurrection" is a different kind of horror movie. It's more of a slow burn thriller that continues to make you feel tense and uncomfortable, yet captivating at the same time. Director Andrew Semans seems to understand how cinema works as his direction provides a great sense of suspension and thrills throughout the movie. With captaining camerawork and great performances from Rebecca Hall and Tim Roth. Hall is one of the my favorite underrated actresses even if she had been in some stinkers in the past as the same for Tim Roth. Roth always never fails to impress me with his stylish performances and personality he carries on his shoulders. Grace Kaufman was also really good as well.

The emotional impact of this film works well because of the writing. The writing creates many scenarios that felt creepy and filled with tension. There's even a scene where it's a 10 minute or so dialogue shot that focuses on the character for some time but it never feels boring because of the performance given to create a realistic approach of that scene. With great camerawork, production and interesting character development. It's not 100 percent perfect as there are some pacing issues halfway and certain moments that felt it could have been re written. In my opinion, the ending felt a little rushed as if they had ran out of time to finish filming the rest of the movie. Although these flaws appeared, the movie still was a really good fun experience.

Good Flick.

Rating: B+

Really?

[Foutainoflife · 2/10 · 10 August 2022]

This film starts out fine. We have a tense atmosphere and a troubled main character. The acting is so good you want to find out what is going on with this main character. She seems to be suffering from some sort of trauma that is triggered by seeing a fella from her past. However, after we are introduced to this villainous man, nothing really makes much sense and the film just completely nose dives into WTF-ness.

I'm not sure if the obscure craziness is supposed to be the horror or if there is some deep, in between the lines stuff going on here but I didn't care for it. It was just a real let down from a film that had a lot going for it in the first 30-40 minutes.

Psychological thriller with an intense Rebecca Hall

[gortx · 5 October 2022]

Writer-Director Andrew Seaman's RESURRECTION is a dark psychological thriller about a single mother, Margaret (brilliantly essayed by Rebecca Hall) working at a pharmaceutical company. At first, her life seems orderly enough and she privately counsels a young intern at the firm, Gwyn (Angela Wong Carbone). Margaret's daughter Abbie (Grace Kaufman) is on the verge of turning 18 which causes some pre-emptory empty nest issues. Margaret is also carrying on an affair with a married man (Michael Esper). Tensions boil over when an Ex, David (Tim Roth; quietly malevolent), suddenly shows up in town.

Hall's performance is eerily intense from the start. An eight minute long uncut monologue reveals much of what her character is going though, and Hall commands the screen. As Margaret's concerns grow, the ante builds and builds into a mania. Hall's fervid acting becomes genuinely frightening intense. As the film reaches it's finale it is almost aggressively uncomfortable to watch. And, that's even BEFORE the movie reaches its actual climax!

RESURRECTION treads the line between straight drama, thriller and horror film only dipping into the latter at the very end (and quite graphically; the perverse symbolism will also turn-off some viewers). Hall's performance carries the movie on her back. It may not be a pleasant movie to view, but, she - and the movie -- will stick with you long after the end credits roll.

Scars Reopened & Reborn...

[Xstal · 7/10 · 13 December 2022]

For years you've found a home where you feel safe, you have a daughter and you live in a nice place, you're confident and kind, a better life you could not find, until the past returns, reoccupies your space. You do your best to be polite and move him on, but it's clear this beast won't leave, and won't be gone, anguish, turmoil then ensue, just what can you really do, to this manipulative, controlling past demon.

Rebecca Hall is brilliant as a woman being haunted by a sinister past partner, who carries with him the torment she endured during their time together, and is intent on delivering more pain and agony. As with all horror framing, it's not to be taken literally.

Awful.

[schnuck · 1/10 · 6 August 2022]

I want 1.5 hours of my life back. I don't care how good Rebecca Hall can act. This whole movie is a waste of time. And the ending is a joke.

I'd rather watch Sir David Attenborough documentaries.

this is the explanation. it all makes sense

[xxxxxdarkmoon · 8/10 · 15 August 2022]

I read some reviews here, many people say it doesn't make sense. Come on people you can do better than that.

This is a woman with a deeply repressed trauma, which was induced by a sadistic sociopath when she was 18 years old. That person had her under mental and emotional control. She was brainwashed by that person. He was her first "love" and older as her. He abused that to control her and to torture her mentally. He even killed her baby which was from him. He said, that he ate it and he has the baby inside his stomach now. Is there a more painful trauma that a 18 years old girl could bear? 20 years later, he returns and what has been repressed for 20 years is getting reactivated. All of the repressed mental pain and her desperation is back. That poor women is going insane due to her reactivated trauma.

Hallucinating is a natural response to unbearable pain and desperation, it is a selfprotection-mechanism of the human mind when mental and physical pain is getting more than a person can stand. This is what happens to her after he begins to take control of her again.

The moment she listens to his belly and hears her baby cry is the moment she begins to hallucinate.

The ending scenes:

In the ending scenes she kills him (for real) in order to get her baby out of his stomach. The baby is alive (which is a hallucination).

IMPORTANT HINT IN THE MOVIE: the camera filter switches to blur and bright. Which means, that a near death experience is starting. Because she is deadly injured due to the fight before. So she is dying as well and the last things she is aware of, are these hallucinations, like a near death experience which is: being happy again, with her baby alive in her arms. If she is indeed dying in the end or if she is getting rescued, isn't clear. All we can see, is that she suddenly is taking a deep breath.

Terrible in the best possible way, but be warned...

[altsgrd · 7/10 · 12 October 2023]

Watching this movie was chilling and absolutely terrible in the best possible way.

It is one of those movies that dares to put something on display that we, as viewers, really dont want to see - something unsettling. It doesnt feel good to watch - it is effective that way - and that is exactly why its brilliant.

In Resurrection we get no white picket fences or happily ever afters. Instead we are thrown into the deep end with serious matters such as deteriorating mental health, abuse, emotional suppression, gaslighting and grief. A woman (Rebecca Hall), who lives a seemingly successful life, stumbles upon a psychological trigger that starts an avalanche of past trauma.

Rebecca Hall's performance is breathtaking - hands down. The way this woman portrays the chaos of downward spiraling mental health while being a victim of gaslighting is both maddening and incredibly beautiful. At times it is so well done that it is hard to tell what is actually real and what is happening in her head.

Resurrection is absolutely worth a watch. FAIR WARNING THOUGH... if you yourself have experienced mental abuse it might be triggering and may not be an enjoyable watch for you.

You wasted Rebecca Hall?!?!? Wtf

[zack_gideon · 2/10 · 6 August 2022]

This movie is utter nonsense. And no, I didn't miss the point. There is no point. You wasted one of the best actors of this era with a one dimensional boring, tedious, non-sensical plot with repetitive dialogue that makes you want to gouge your own eyes out.

Rebecca Hall is such an amazing actor, how the heck can your script be THAT bad? Just why. Trash film. Please don't hate me Rebecca!! I'm a huge fan.

An entertaining anxiety-inducing but slow-burning psychological thriller

[stylss · 7/10 · 19 April 2022]

SIFF 2022 Watch #2

An entertaining anxiety-inducing but slow-burning psychological thriller that seems to hold back from releasing any tension until the final scene where it delivers. Both Rebecca Hall & Tim Roth give great performances with a solid score to back them up on the wild ride.

Unwatchable

[bradkauai · 8 August 2022]

The story doesn't start until its halfway over. The whole thing was guessing what it was about. Good acting, horrible movie. I hope 2022 has more than this to offer.

I think I get it???

[fsfaludi · 6/10 · 7 July 2023]

Ok, so with the help of some explanations by others I think I now understand the plot or story. If you are really weirded out by watching it like I was...read the right spoiler reviews AFTER watching it. It's not just a stupid crazy story; it does have meaning to it. Very traumatic experiences can have serious lasting effects. That's the message, that's what is explored here.. Also, if the acting were not as good as it was, yes this might still have been a waste of time. I can almost predict most people won't like it, but for the few that do, for those few, it will have been an interesting thought provoking experience. The question is, which type are you? I personally can't stomach modern "action movies" with outlandish special effects. So I still prefer watching this type of so called psychological thriller than the super hero types that are pure fantasy with nothing but unrealistic razzale-dazzle special effects.

What was it?

[collegeforall · 1/10 · 26 July 2022]

A top candidate for worst movie I've ever seen. Totally scattered, illogical, wearying, and lacking a satisfying build of either character or plot. Hall is unsympathetic from the beginning, so there's nowhere to go as the movie progresses. Her 8-minute monologue is tedious and should have been the first third of the movie: Remember, it's show, don't tell! Her overprotectiveness regarding her daughter is just repulsive and her daughter has to spend most of her screen time being either a bitch or her mother's victim. The whole conceit that Tim Roth has a baby inside him is just ridiculous and silly and the Grand Guignol scene near the end to recover it from his body is just risible, not horrific or cathartic. Several scenes that were supposed to elicit gasps garnered laughs instead from the preview audience I was in. I don't think the director really knew how to pace the movie or determine how reality and non-reality were supposed to be woven together. What was real or in Hall's mind? Do we care? Not really. Where did that baby come from? I didn't care because I'd given up by the end of the movie. A genuine waste of time and talent.

Good pacing, acting, and plotline

[RockFromSpace · 7/10 · 11 August 2022]

If you need a story that's straightforward and wrapped up with a bow on it, Ressurection isn't for you. Personally I liked the uncertainty of the story progression and the ambiguous ending. Seemed to fit well with the theme of rationalizing past trauma. It's not the best drama ever, but has many good qualities and I found it to be a solid effort.

It calls itself a psychological thriller, when it's really just deranged mental diarrhea.

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 4/10 · 18 February 2023]

I'll never get back my 103 mins invested in this ridiculous incoherent nonsense. The writing was clumsy when it thought it was clever; underwhelming when it thought it was suspenseful; annoyingly frustrating when it thought it was intelligently smart.

It's also tasteless, overcooked, and too preposterously outlandish to be taken seriously. There's this constant build-up of something grand brewing, amidst the nonsense slowly seeping into the story. Then the grand finale slaps you in the face with a "haha, gotcha" ending that will make you cringe.

I'm not sure what film the critics saw, but praising Hall's and Roth's performances - and rightfully so, isn't near enough to say this was a good viewing. All the metaphors and messaging about abuse and trauma are overshadowed by the inept and shallow screenplay by writer and director Andrew Semans.

There is zero reward, or reason, to watch this nonsense. It's a generous 4/10 for the great performances, and decent score and cinematography.

A dive in to the sinister

[mjsreg · 7/10 · 22 September 2022]

I would say this is more of a deep, dark, psychological thriller rather than a horror. If you are looking for jump scares or gore this is not it.

However, if you enjoy the depiction of the more sinister side of human nature you won't be disappointed.

This is no slow-burner and moves along at just the right pace to let you absorb the possibilities, and the characters that come to life thanks to the brilliant acting skills of Hall and Roth, the dynamics of which can turn on their head in an instant.

Without giving away the plot, all I can say is that what you may think this film is about is not necessarily what it will turn out to be.

This is a film about characters - not fancy production tricks.

Well worth watching, and this is one of the better films to have been released this year.

Decent enough thriller but if you believe the ending you're as crazy as Maggie

[erikaeubanks · 5/10 · 13 May 2023]

Decent enough thriller but if you believe the ending you're as crazy as Maggie...

SPOILERS BELOW

So I watched this movie and I will say I liked it half way through... with abt 40mins left I got very bored and just wanted her to stop being all weak and weepy... women depicted as crying, sniveling, basket cases are annoying... anyway, I love how the daughter left her crazy mother to allow her to work out her demons because whew that lady was having the episode of all episodes... I believe that Maggie actually had a baby named Benjamin with a psycho named David who groomed her and ate her baby... I'll give her that... but by the end of the movie I realized that a) This isn't Maggie's first "episode"... (remember Abbie called the coworker with benefits to the house to recommend her mom see someone and also told her mom she was having an episode and that she was being more controlling than usual)... b) there is no way she gutted David like a fish and pulled a baby out and he didn't even scream... gtfoh y'all... that was a crazy psychotic fantasy... her finally getting "revenge" on the man who ate her baby...it was her brain trying to cope with what she never really dealt with, which was resurrected when Abbie got hurt and it sunk in that she (Maggie) wouldn't always be there to keep her safe... I don't think she ever saw David again... I think she saw a man that resembled him and then had a panic attack, ran out of the condemns all the way home and from that moment on was just being the crazy lady talking to herself in the park and dragging her daughter out the mall... from the moment she left that conference it was just one big psychotic train wreck and we watched from her perspective... c) the very last scene proved my point... the colors in last act of the movie were very dark...everything was shadowy and muted (like the recesses of her crazy mind...lol) but then all of a sudden the final few moments were not only super bright but damn near angelic...with blurred edges...lighting that was very different from the rest of the film... and at the last second Maggie "woke up" from her dream & then the movie ended... why do I say she "woke up"... well remember after Maggie beat the brakes off her coworker with benefits, she went into the house and passed out from stress, shock at Abbie running away and the BF saying he was in love with her and of course fatigue from chasing a shadow every night...I think everything that came after she passed out, was made up in her mind... a fever dream or night terror if you will... IT WASNT REAL... at the end, why would her daughter have come back home to pack? We all know she had already left her mom... when Abbie is holding the "baby" and says "everything will be alright" that snapped Maggie back to reality because Abbie had said that to Maggie earlier in the movie when they talked about Abbie going to college. Anywho, I give this movie five stars because it was decent to a point... I would have given more but I HATED the ending so bad... Now had it ended with Maggie waking up on the floor realizing she had actually passed out and then going to Abbie's room and realizing and remembering that Abbie left because Maggie she was having another "episode" and wouldn't face it... and then walking to the kitchen counter and picking up that business card the BF left so she could get some real help, then I wldve given the movie 8 stars... but instead we got the crackpot ending!! This movie dragged on waaaaaaaay too long for the ending the audience actually received so yea... but it's def worth the watch!

Hall is incredible in a dark and elusive film

[jtindahouse · 8/10 · 12 August 2022]

'Resurrection' is the type of film that makes me really miss the IMDb message boards. I used to love the discussion and theories thrown about on ambiguous films like this one. There's a lot going on in this one and it isn't always clear what is real and what is not.

The film reminded me of another 2022 film 'Men'. It was done in a different way (for the most part) but had similar themes and messages. That one was a little more in your face with its message, whereas 'Resurrection' holds its cards a little closer to its chest.

I couldn't complete this review without mentioning Rebecca Hall. She may just be the best actress working at the moment. She is so captivating to watch. She has all the gears too. Her character has a massive arc in this film and she nails every stage of it. She has an 8 minute dialogue at one point that is mesmerising to watch.

I really enjoyed this film. There will be some who find they don't get enough answers. But equally there will be plenty of audience members who like the idea of putting the puzzle together themselves. I recommend checking this one out. 8/10.

Well thought-out psycho-thriller on traumatic disorder

[axapvov · 6/10 · 6 May 2023]

A good psycho-thriller that can get a little ridiculous towards the end. However, kudos to the filmmaker for getting in there and letting the film evolve as its own beast, reaching a dark but logical conclusion. Good stuff, even if it lost me a little bit. The first hour is great, including an enthralling monologue from the wonderful Rebecca Hall, she's on top of this with her full range on display. Here's another psychological film built around her and I'm all for it. She plays a woman who manages her sex life with the same efficiency as she brushes her teeth, it all adds up to her detailed psychological profile. Tim Roth is great too as the supporting role (or rather undermining role), his character feels really menacing.

It's really sad how trauma works. This big stain that can't be washed away and stays there forever. It really sucks and the film does a great job of portraying how it can take over a life, no matter how good that life is, no matter how long it's been repressed. It stays there, impossible to share. That comes through and it shows that this film is very well thought out.

On a side note, I find it both tragic and hilarious (some will say they're the same thing) how men have been lectured for decades into having feelings only to end up mocked for mismanaging them. Damned if we do, damned if we don't.

Great start, gripping middle, disappointing ending

[doujyr · 4/10 · 7 August 2022]

So many films these days suck you in with a really good start, keep you invested with a well developed middle, then let down with a poor or muddled ending. I still don't get this one at all. But worth it for Rebecca's monologue in the middle.