The Rule of Jenny Pen

The Rule Of Jenny Pen actually creeps me out more than the usual horror movies about possession, zombies, and/or other creeps. This story is about old people in a retiring home or care facility that are getting bullied/terrorised by one of its habitants without anybody doing something about it. I find these kind of stories creepier because it could happen to any of us, unlike other horror movies where the stories are just fantasy or far fetched and thus so far from our bed or just unreal. Nobody wants to end up in a retiring home and certainly not in this one. Geoffrey Rush did a great job playing the resistant. John Litgow showed again he can play anything, from comedy to drama, to horror. I just love that actor. In my opinion this movie from New Zealand deserves a higher rating on here.

There's something inherently terrifying about losing control, and The Rule of Jenny Pen plays into that fear beautifully. Geoffrey Rush is compelling as Stefan Mortensen, a once-powerful judge who suffers a stroke and finds himself in a care home. The isolation and vulnerability he experiences are horrifying, even before the supernatural elements creep in. The fear of being forgotten or dismissed feels almost tangible. However, the film faltered in its execution. While it starts strong, introducing a tense and eerie atmosphere, the plot gets tangled in its own complexity. Some character choices felt exaggerated, and a few plot holes made me question the narrative. Despite that, the sense of dread stayed with me. It's a flawed film, but one that still offers a lot to think about.

Nothing amazing, but a decent little film, I thought. Better than many of the reviews here would lead you to believe. Definitely worth a watch, as long as you can suspend your disbelief about no-one having a mobile phone or there being no security cameras. Otherwise, this is original, engaging, very well acted, darkly humorous, well-shot, and thankfully not quite as grim or disturbing as I was expecting, given the subject matter - bullying in a old people's home.

It's not a supernatural horror, it's more of a dark thriller with horror elements. No gore, that I remember. Lithgow and Rush gave excellent and brave performances. Would recommend.

This was a truly interesting film but also a fairly unsatisfying one. The premise of having psychological torment in a nursing home is a pretty original idea that was surprisingly well executed given how ridiculous the trailer made the movie look. Lithgow gives a nasty performance as one of the most hatable villains I've seen in a while, while Rush plays his part as protagonist with carefully calculated defiance and cynicism against Lithgow's sadism. The camera angles and editing choices were unique, disquieting, and overall effective in their mission of creating unease. I was a little frustrated with a few key plot points that seemed like they'd be discussed later on but instead were left on the back burner. As far as the psychological horror/abuse went in the film, it was effective. A little too much. The vile representations of sexual torment paired with the overall sadism got on my nerves a bit, even if it may have worked to psych me out. That being said, not a bad movie.

Just not my cup of tea.

I'll be honest - I was sceptical going into this. Horror these days often leans too heavily on cheap jump scares or tired supernatural clichés. But 'The Rule of Jenny Pen' proved to be something far more unsettling. It burrowed under my skin in a way few films have managed this year, and the scariest part? There's nothing supernatural about it.

At its core, this is a story about aging, isolation, and the absolute horror of losing control - over your body, your mind, and even your dignity. Geoffrey Rush delivers a powerhouse performance as Judge Stefan Mortensen, once formidable but now diminished by a stroke, trapped in a care home where he's no longer the man he used to be. Then there's John Lithgow as Dave Crealy - easily one of the most unsettling screen presences in recent memory. There's nothing exaggerated or over-the-top about him; that's what makes it worse. He's a quiet, insidious bully, tormenting those around him in a way that's all too real. It's psychological horror at its most effective - unrelenting, suffocating, and utterly inescapable.

The film is deeply disturbing in the best possible way. It doesn't rely on gore or shock tactics-it simply forces you to sit with the horror of its reality, the sense of helplessness creeping in until you can't shake it. It made my skin crawl.

This is an outstanding film, with brilliant performances from both Rush and Lithgow. A sharp, unsettling psychological thriller that cuts to something we all understand: the fear of aging, of losing ourselves, and of being at the mercy of others. If you have aging family members - or simply dread the thought of your own future - this is a must-watch.