I only started to watch this for Amy Manson (Being Human),and was not expecting much. This is a cerebral thriller, although some scenes were too sadistic for my taste. The characters are well cast and take "dysfunctional family" to a whole new level. I found it a bit confusing once secrets were revealed and may watch it again (granted, I was tired). This is worth your time- don't watch if depressed- it is very dark. Manson exhibits incredible on-screen,smoldering intensity which makes her characters strong and intense. This one is not exception. I love movies with dark secrets and strong female protagonists (despite all she endures, her strength comes through).
29 Reviews
Much Darker Than Expected
jamieg-3819622 February 2016
The premise of this sounded very interesting and I watched it back to back with Sand Castles which has a similar premise - and this one falls short of the other in my opinion.
It was surprisingly darker than anticipated and went in a direction I did not expect. Definitely not for the faint hearted, I feel as if it missed a trick by sacrificing on dramatic realism in exchange for shock factor, and the result is you feel very uneasy watching it rather than suspenseful of the unknown.
It's visually interesting, with great set design that immediately makes you feel uneasy. It is further enriched with excellent performances from its cast, most notably Amy Mason in the lead, who is sublime.
Definitely worth watching, it portrays a very dark, suspenseful tale, even if it does feel very disjointed and forced in places. Not the film I expected, which left me more deflated than surprised come the end. Can't help but feel they missed a trick, creating a psychological horror rather than a thriller.
It was surprisingly darker than anticipated and went in a direction I did not expect. Definitely not for the faint hearted, I feel as if it missed a trick by sacrificing on dramatic realism in exchange for shock factor, and the result is you feel very uneasy watching it rather than suspenseful of the unknown.
It's visually interesting, with great set design that immediately makes you feel uneasy. It is further enriched with excellent performances from its cast, most notably Amy Mason in the lead, who is sublime.
Definitely worth watching, it portrays a very dark, suspenseful tale, even if it does feel very disjointed and forced in places. Not the film I expected, which left me more deflated than surprised come the end. Can't help but feel they missed a trick, creating a psychological horror rather than a thriller.
Cheap and unsatisfying
Leofwine_draca30 August 2016
ESTRANGED is a low budget British horror film that screams derivative at every step. The film's protagonist is a young woman named January who is crippled in an accident abroad, an accident which leaves her wheelchair bound and without a memory. She returns to her ancestral home in the UK, but soon becomes convinced that her family members are out to get her. Is she going mad, or is there really a sinister plot at work?
It's not hard to guess the outcome of this film because the same subject matter has been done to death elsewhere. Although the plot is slightly different, ESTRANGED seems to me to be a huge copy of the excellent French thriller FRONTIERS, especially in the format, the climax, the look and actions of the main girl, etc. Except where FRONTIERS excelled, ESTRANGED simply bores.
It's one of those films that's saddled with a dullish protagonist who you don't even like, let alone care about. Actress Amy Manson can do nothing for her character. The rest of the cast don't get much of a look in, particularly poor James Cosmo, who is such a fine, gruff actor but who is sorely wasted here. I did like Craig Conway, cast against type as the butler, as he's always good fun. Sure, there are a few strong and/or edgy moments contained in this, but the whole greyed-out look makes it a depressing watch and CGI gore effects are always a disappointment for me too unless they're done very realistically, which they aren't here.
It's not hard to guess the outcome of this film because the same subject matter has been done to death elsewhere. Although the plot is slightly different, ESTRANGED seems to me to be a huge copy of the excellent French thriller FRONTIERS, especially in the format, the climax, the look and actions of the main girl, etc. Except where FRONTIERS excelled, ESTRANGED simply bores.
It's one of those films that's saddled with a dullish protagonist who you don't even like, let alone care about. Actress Amy Manson can do nothing for her character. The rest of the cast don't get much of a look in, particularly poor James Cosmo, who is such a fine, gruff actor but who is sorely wasted here. I did like Craig Conway, cast against type as the butler, as he's always good fun. Sure, there are a few strong and/or edgy moments contained in this, but the whole greyed-out look makes it a depressing watch and CGI gore effects are always a disappointment for me too unless they're done very realistically, which they aren't here.
The Ending is the best part.
albereinstein22 February 2016
If art imitates life, then there are some really sick people in the world. This film was about a young woman who suffers a accident, winds up back at her childhood home where some real dark colorful characters pretending to be her family all reside. Although the story unravels from inside the home, at no time did I feel like you needed more locations to make the story work. In fact, the happenings unfolding to this young woman couldn't happen anywhere else, because of the graphic nature in which things are done to her. Overall, I've seen this story before in other films that deal with family issues. I think on a whole, all families have dark secrets And if ever found out, lives would be completely destroyed, and the jails would full of family members. A lot this film was cliché and predictable. I endured it to the end, and for me, the ending was the best part. It just took a little to long to get to it.
A taught, well acted chiller that deserves to be more widely seen.
mrjaded12 April 2016
This movie brings to mind the hey day of early seventies low budget British shockers from the likes of Amicus, Tigon, and Hammer. The days when all you needed to make a film was a spirited cast, a largely unknown bolstered by a single "name" performer recognisable to Americans (in this instance James Cosmo), and free access to a down at heel stately home.
It's hard to classify this movie in terms of genre, neither truly a thriller nor a horror. – it's more of a "creeper" than anything else. The sense of unease is ramped up throughout the convoluted twists and turns of the plot before plunging into true horror in the final third.
I think this has presented a problem for the marketing department and I feel that they may be making a mistake in the way that they are presenting it. Many people will feel mislead and disappointed that this isn't the horror movie that the posters suggest, which is a shame since it's more than that, it's a taught, well acted chiller that deserves to be more widely seen.
It's hard to classify this movie in terms of genre, neither truly a thriller nor a horror. – it's more of a "creeper" than anything else. The sense of unease is ramped up throughout the convoluted twists and turns of the plot before plunging into true horror in the final third.
I think this has presented a problem for the marketing department and I feel that they may be making a mistake in the way that they are presenting it. Many people will feel mislead and disappointed that this isn't the horror movie that the posters suggest, which is a shame since it's more than that, it's a taught, well acted chiller that deserves to be more widely seen.
One of the cruelest movies I've ever seen.
lammi6 January 2021
Let's Get Depressed!
serina258012 October 2020
I've never seen a movie get me to the point where I was just staring at my television screen numb for over an hour after the credits rolled.
I've watched a lot of horror and a lot of thrillers - to the point that if you go through my reviews, it's kinda my genre. I'm always up for something new or something that can catch my interest and hold it the entire time. This film definitely kept it...but I'm wondering if that's a good thing.
It starts our generic enough - woman in an accident with amnesia, goes to see her family and something's not quite right. It's a fairly familiar premise. Where this film differs is any sense of hope you have for the main character is just completely gone by the time the ending is coming up. So much so that even after the final scene, you just sit there feeling like it wasn't enough. People should have been punished more to get that sense of catharsis for our lead. Instead, it leaves you feeling blank and numb for having watched it.
I'm giving this film 7/10 because it is something that many thrillers attempt, but fail at. Most films of this caliber just want to shock to shock. Where the characters are all deplorable, including the main ones, there's violence and torture just to make you squirm. This movie doesn't do that. You want our lead to succeed. You like her. You like her partner. You want there to be retribution. But after what our lead is put through, it doesn't feel like any payback would ever be enough.
If you want to feel depressed and hopeless for a few hours after seeing a movie, watch this.
I've watched a lot of horror and a lot of thrillers - to the point that if you go through my reviews, it's kinda my genre. I'm always up for something new or something that can catch my interest and hold it the entire time. This film definitely kept it...but I'm wondering if that's a good thing.
It starts our generic enough - woman in an accident with amnesia, goes to see her family and something's not quite right. It's a fairly familiar premise. Where this film differs is any sense of hope you have for the main character is just completely gone by the time the ending is coming up. So much so that even after the final scene, you just sit there feeling like it wasn't enough. People should have been punished more to get that sense of catharsis for our lead. Instead, it leaves you feeling blank and numb for having watched it.
I'm giving this film 7/10 because it is something that many thrillers attempt, but fail at. Most films of this caliber just want to shock to shock. Where the characters are all deplorable, including the main ones, there's violence and torture just to make you squirm. This movie doesn't do that. You want our lead to succeed. You like her. You like her partner. You want there to be retribution. But after what our lead is put through, it doesn't feel like any payback would ever be enough.
If you want to feel depressed and hopeless for a few hours after seeing a movie, watch this.
Nothing enjoyable about it
ncieloo19 September 2018
A VERY DARK FILM
jackiehopkins19 January 2018
Warning: Spoilers
BLEAK AND BRUTAL,THIS FILM IS RELENTLESS. NO HAPPY FAMILIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS HERE, JUST LOTS OF SECRETS, SUCIDES, INCEST, RAPE AND DEATH. ALL IN ALL, A GOOD FILM, ALTHOUGH I WANTED THE BOYFRIEND TO LIVE A BIT LONGER.
Doesn't make sense a whole lot..
TerribleKatherine1 December 2018
I've seen movies like this and this is on the more confusing side. I feel like the plot is so uneven and the characters, especially the main one, January, are really dull. I don't know, I guess I missed something while watching but don't think I'm going to watch this again.
How To Haunt A House
twelve-house-books5 July 2018
Warning: Spoilers
It isn't often at all that a director will treat his audience to the actual making of a haunted house. I should say that this film is not for the faint of heart, and it is not for any viewer who has any problem at all with perversity of any kind. Perverse a'plenty, folks! So, we have a decrepit stone Georgian mansion, a "family" of weirdos, and a girl who doesn't know head from tails. This is a classic Gothic film, Mystery, and, yes, Slasher all rolled into one. No jump scares, though, which usually makes or breaks a film for me, though I will still watch The Innkeepers and a few others, jump scares and all. Ever really wonder what the "prequel" of a haunted house is? This film will give you some idea. Briefly, a wealthy man impregnates one of his servants, and the entire house staff are asked to raise the child--a little girl. Finally, the man's wife commits suicide. The girl grows up and leaves home. She comes back because of an accident which has taken over 90% of her memory. She believes the servants are her father, mother, brother, and sister--until the butler lets her in on the truth. The rich man had been cruel to his servants, so when they found out that she had been in a severe accident which wiped away her memory, and that she was coming back home, they brought a plan of revenge into action by killing the landowner and pretending to be her family. In a final twist, it is discovered that the woman laying her mother is really her mother--the woman raped by her real father, resulting in her being born to begin with. Oddly, the revenge is taken out on the child who was raised wealthy even though she was the daughter of the servant woman. (James Cosmo performs a career-killer when he rapes the girl in front of her real mother and the other servants.)
Surprisingly good
ariefadityatubagus41320 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I just watched this movie without knowing the cast, except James Cosmo from Braveheart. i wasn't expecting much about this movie since i never heard anything about it, and i thought it would be another meaningless thriller. and i was wrong.
This movie is about a young girl who came back to her estranged family after got amnesia in motorcycle accident.
Sure, there was "to good to be true moment", when a family with some revenge agenda suddenly got their perfect moment ( a daughter from a man that raped your wife, go back home to you and got an amnesia, how could it be made up?), but the bad things ended up just there. at the very beginning we got introduced to the family , everything just didn't feel right, but the movies reveals its darkest secret in perfect pace. not in a rush.
I watched movie like this before, like The Visit. but, the different was, i just know that they aren't her family, because this movie didn't try to hide it. but, what best is their motives and twist (the ending was awesome), and how all of this is provided to audience. the acting is surprisingly good, especially James Cosmo, who could deliver intense performance, and i think be one of stand out factor.
i enjoyed this movie, it is worth to watch.
Terrible
danielmartinx4 November 2019
What went wrong? When I see a terrible movie, I tend to think that it's poor direction or poor storytelling. I think there's some story problems with this movie that are unsolvable. The main character is in a house with evil people, and it goes on and on, and nothing happens. Sure, there's a plot, but they spend an hour doing nothing.
You don't create suspense when your audience already knows what is happening. There is no point in watching a main character express surprise or shock at the situation that is already obvious.
For me, the main problem is that this person has no reason to be with her family. There is no legitimate reason for her to be recuperating with these people. That's giant problem in terms of the story.
You don't create suspense when your audience already knows what is happening. There is no point in watching a main character express surprise or shock at the situation that is already obvious.
For me, the main problem is that this person has no reason to be with her family. There is no legitimate reason for her to be recuperating with these people. That's giant problem in terms of the story.
Very British 60's like dark drama
imursel23 December 2018
Not great but certainly not bad
deloudelouvain5 May 2018
I wouldn't put Estranged in the horror genre, in the thriller genre yes. There is some mystery during the entire movie and even if you start guessing right it's still entertaining to watch. The actors were not bad so there is nothing bad to say about that either. It's a dark movie, certainly not a joyful one, with some severe sick in the head people but not the kind that makes your stomach turn. I wasn't expecting a masterpiece, and it isn't a masterpiece, but it's certainly watchable. To me it could have used a bit more blood and physical torture to make it a good horror movie. Now it was emotional torture and that has never the same outcome. But if you do like those kind of stories then just give this one a go. You won't be disappointed.
Something doesn't feel right
nogodnomasters17 February 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Callum (Simon Quarterman) and January (Amy Manson) vacation in Brazil until they kiss an automobile with their scooter. Callum gets a scratch while January loses her memory and the the loss of her legs. They return to her childhood manor where she can't remember any of the creepy people or more importantly why she left in the first place. Things become weird as they always do in this type of film.
I liked the name January, named for the god Janus who looks both to the past and future. Very clever. The problem is that this genre has been so overdone, there is nothing else clever that they bring to the production. I was bored for most of the film waiting for the scary secrets to reveal themselves, not even interested in the clues...which were mostly head fakes, as the characters were miserably portrayed and lacked depth.
The DVD cover of January with a gun was a bit of a plot spoiler as that scene doesn't come to late in the film. It was a film I have felt I have seen before a half dozen times and didn't enjoy it then.
Guide: F-word (spoken and written) rape. No nudity.
I liked the name January, named for the god Janus who looks both to the past and future. Very clever. The problem is that this genre has been so overdone, there is nothing else clever that they bring to the production. I was bored for most of the film waiting for the scary secrets to reveal themselves, not even interested in the clues...which were mostly head fakes, as the characters were miserably portrayed and lacked depth.
The DVD cover of January with a gun was a bit of a plot spoiler as that scene doesn't come to late in the film. It was a film I have felt I have seen before a half dozen times and didn't enjoy it then.
Guide: F-word (spoken and written) rape. No nudity.
Surprising indi thriller
Howling_at_the_Moon_Reviews11 August 2022
I ended up quite liking this more than I thought I was going to. When it started and I saw the general picture quality (very indi) I was a little deterred, but that does not a bad movie make.
The story was engaging with the help of a decently good plot with twists and turns along the way with some pretty stellar performances. The casting director really killed it with this ensemble.
I do wish that when the big reveal comes at the end, it wasn't just a story being told within a flashback sequence, felt like a bit of a shortcut/ cop out. Regardless, this one was pretty good guys, well done. Would recommend.
The story was engaging with the help of a decently good plot with twists and turns along the way with some pretty stellar performances. The casting director really killed it with this ensemble.
I do wish that when the big reveal comes at the end, it wasn't just a story being told within a flashback sequence, felt like a bit of a shortcut/ cop out. Regardless, this one was pretty good guys, well done. Would recommend.
Dreadfull
danielcross-6157917 September 2018
Hey Guess What This Is?? It's A Ladder.
wandernn1-81-68327425 June 2020
Okay so on Amazon this movie is called Estranged, and here on IMDB it looks up as 'January'.
Hey opening scene.... she was wearing a helmet! She should have been fine!!!
James Cosmo is the ultimate father figure!!!! I've wanted him for my 2nd Dad since 1995's Braveheart!!!!!! :)
+1 Star when the newspaper clip is passed under January's door!!! Things are kicking up a notch!!!!!
-1 Star for when girl runs she runs right in the direction of where she needs to run to find what she finds, and then dude knows exactly which direction she did run in order to catch her
+1 Star for the painting, and for the 'treatment' by the sister!!
+1 Star for the ending....it could have gone either way, but the ending was well done and appropriate from one side!
7/10
Hey opening scene.... she was wearing a helmet! She should have been fine!!!
James Cosmo is the ultimate father figure!!!! I've wanted him for my 2nd Dad since 1995's Braveheart!!!!!! :)
+1 Star when the newspaper clip is passed under January's door!!! Things are kicking up a notch!!!!!
-1 Star for when girl runs she runs right in the direction of where she needs to run to find what she finds, and then dude knows exactly which direction she did run in order to catch her
+1 Star for the painting, and for the 'treatment' by the sister!!
+1 Star for the ending....it could have gone either way, but the ending was well done and appropriate from one side!
7/10
Nothing happens then everything happens then stuff...
donttouchmeprimate1 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
It's difficult to put into words really. For half of the film i could easily puzzle out where it is going but also I have no idea what the actual plot was. I THINK she was sort of held captive in this house by her stepdad who drove her mother to suicide but then also the step dad and his family all pretended (for no reason I can think of) that they were all related by blood (because he has his own wife and kids).
Which is weird because who and when did he meet this new wife? Their kids are all grownup but he was also step dad to our protagonist? WHAT?!
I'm probably just dumb but I can't get my head around it.
I'm probably just dumb but I can't get my head around it.
Very Good!
ferdmalenfant20 April 2021
Good Enough
kirstenlynch12 February 2021
Waste of time
lesliebham15 December 2019
Don't waste your time!
hsahin4322 February 2020
6.5 for sure
jamespurcell-178158 December 2020
This movie is slow to get into the creepy stuff, but it's faster then one I previously reviewed called "Restraint." This is the kind of movie you watch when you want something that takes time to get you invested in the characters, and then slowly amps up the creepiness level, until it gets disturbing, and eventually violent.
Recommended if you are in that headspace right now. This is one of the better ones on Prime. Convincing acting from every character creates an environment where you are really invested.
Check out my other reviews to see if we have any opinions on other movies in common.
Recommended if you are in that headspace right now. This is one of the better ones on Prime. Convincing acting from every character creates an environment where you are really invested.
Check out my other reviews to see if we have any opinions on other movies in common.
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