Gwen (II) (2018) User Reviews

Not What I Expected

[krenwregget · 6/10 · 2 September 2019]

I went in with the impression it was a horror film akin to "the Witch"... it is not. That's not to say it's a bad film but it just wasn't what I expected.

There is no supernatural tormentor, no spooks, specters or ghosts. What haunts this poor family is far more sinister and real and it will not be for all tastes. This film is bleak and dour and while it's well shot, competently acted and has great atmosphere, by the end I felt beat up, frustrated and heartbroken.

The family (a mother and two daughters) start out victims of circumstance as the husband is killed during war and their crops fail. Then they are victim to the local robber-baron's ruthlessness and greed as he first tried to buy their land out from under them, and then hires henchmen to murder them and burn the homestead to the ground. All this while the mother struggles against deteriorating mental health, leaving the adolescent daughter to try and care for her and her younger sister.

With the world seemingly set against them, the robber-baron has his way when he beats the mother and burns her along with their home, at least allowing her two daughters to escape into the night, fate unknown. There is no resolution, no happy ending and not much more to be said.

If you feel like you want to kill an evening and feel terrible afterwards, this film will do the trick.

Very dark and sad

[Behnam-A · 7/10 · 2 October 2019]

Gwen is a slow but catching story of cruelty loneliness and vulnerability. It is a horrifying sad story that takes place in a little far land where hope fades and there is no miracle to lead the story to a happy ending.

Truly it is horrifying that you feel how bad things can be and how helpless humans could be. When the movie ends you will think of many similar situations in our time. and maybe you think of many political and social factors behind humans' misery. However it is not a typical horror film. If you are interested only in demons or other typical horror movies, this one could bore you. But considering real matters that make humans suffer life, it is an interesting and really horrifying movie.

welsh snowdonian 19th century realism

[ops-52535 · 6/10 · 6 August 2019]

Its a slow paced , icecold, windy, grey, black and heartwrenching story from the welsh countryside, with lots of sickness and death that digs into you as the plot developes. there are absolutely no fun in this flick, nor horror or thrills, just a dreary folktale about the men with power and the people without.

what impresses me most is the beautiful and overwhelmingly made filmography, that tells the story as well as the actors do. its complete from start to end i cant find many flaws.

so why do the grumpy old man give just a 6. the film does not thrill or entertain, and that is not the actors fault, its just the darkness of the story that doesnt appeal to me, even though its recommendable enough

Grossly underrated, for some reason

[gpenney77 · 9 October 2019]

How on earth does this only rate a 6? The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. The storyline is highly suspenseful, the underlying message is compelling and outrageous. Perhaps it's not wise these days to portray unbridled capitalism in a negative light. Granted, there were some dramatic liberties taken, but the brutal enclosure movement, the rape of the countryside, and the outlandish greed and cruel masochism of early unregulated industrialism is no fairy tale. I recommend this film.

Farm Vs Industry

[HairyMart1 · 7/10 · 27 July 2019]

Stark, bleak and uncompromising portrayal of the life of a Welsh hill farm family, as demands of the industrial revolution encrouch in on their day to day existence. All depicted from the point view of eldest daughter Gwen, whose responsibilities mount as her mother's health fails, and she waits for news of her father's return from the army. While she can appreciate the beauty of the majestic North Wales landscape it cannot detracte from her struggles to keep the farm working, and the growing sense of unease as misfortunes continue to plague them, while the adults step out of ear shot to discuss issues of great importance, but the true subject remains unknown to her. The simple story is all it needs to be, as there is a uncomfortable atmosphere of mounting dread. With the sparse use of dialogue, and unknown nature of the conversations between her mother and those interested in the farmland, further elevating yours and Gwen's unease about what may befall them. For such a simple tale it is an incredibly uncomfortable watch at times and will stay with you long after a viewing.

Dreary with beautiful scenery

[mjsreg · 6/10 · 17 September 2019]

This film is SO slow, although I suppose it had to be to fill the time, because the story could have been told in about 15 minutes - and still be slow.

There is nothing remarkable about the story, and really there isn't much intrigue either. Once you struggle past the first twenty minutes or so of nothingness the story is fairly obvious and doesn't take the remaining 60 minutes to tell.

The scenery is stunning and has been captured beautifully to set the scene for this bleak and depressing story.

The acting is also first class.

I wouldn't bother watching this again, and wouldn't have watched it in the first place had I known what it was like. Such a shame.

Ultimately just rather dreary

[ofumalow · 5/10 · 18 August 2019]

(Minor spoilers) This beautifully shot film is much reminiscent in many ways of "The Witch" and the recent "Hagazussa," two movies I loved. But while atmospheric and interesting to a point, it finally falls well short, not so much because the horror elements turn out to be irrelevant window-dressing--though that doesn't help--but because there's just so little to the storytelling. The characters gain no complexity or depth past our first meeting them, the situation grows more bleak yet doesn't really develop much suspense or urgency.

The revelation of the real villains here might have been effective if the film had worked in a thread of social commentary throughout, instead of misleading us with vaguely supernatural flimflam. Better to just make a straight-up Ken Loach-style miserabilist period piece than a halfhearted stab at a genre film that turns out not to really be anything of that nature at all.

Strong on mood and visuals but weak on the kind of screenplay substance that is needed to sustain feature length, "Gwen" should have been a 20-minute short. While I actually LIKE "depressing" films, they can't just throw downbeat plot turns at us and expect a poignant impact that has to actually be earned in emotional terms. Failing that, this film ends up feeling like a dirge rather than the moving "folk ballad" it seems intended as.

MYSTERIOUS AND DARK

[Ditzky · 7/10 · 6 October 2019]

Gwen is a dark and mysterious drama that is very solid in terms of storytelling, although it still leaves some question marks.

As a viewer of this film, I can feel the situation and the pain felt by Gwen. A teenage girl who misses the figure of the father, but on the other hand he must face the reality to face the mother who was hard on him. Although in the end Gwen will find out why her mother is being hard on her.

Many interesting points are used as a dressing for this film. Like the plague of cholera, the greediness, to the sense of disappointment towards God which leads to distrust. This film deserves more appreciation, also cinematography typical of the beautiful highlands of Britain, cold, quiet and full of mystery.

🌟 My Personal scor: 3.5 / 5

This is a total train wreck with a bad ending.

[supermomabw · 4/10 · 6 August 2019]

Great acting but not scary in the least.slow with a horrible ending that just makes you wish you never watched it.

Beautiful Misery Mountain

[Always_Loved_A_Film · 7/10 · 14 April 2022]

Look... It's a grim story, I get it. But once you decide not to use that as a criticism there's a lot to commend this movie for. The acting is utterly convincing. Peake and Worthington Cox are at their best. It takes its time. At one point the camera stays on Gwen as she falls asleep - her eyes gradually closing and her breathing getting deeper - that's typical of the pace. It's not overly dramatic (I can barely remember the musical soundtrack - which is sparse and acoustic). But it is desperately brutal. The cinematography is beautiful - reminiscent of softly lit 17th century Dutch master interiors - no glaring light or colour - muted pallets. Story wise I know nothing of the background but you can bet someone discovered the terrible way some small farmers were treated by the Welsh mining corporations in the nineteenth century and thought - "Right - I'm going to tell their story - people need to know about this!" And if that's true - great job! Summed up in the movies pivotal line: "If you steal a sheep they take your hand, if you steal a mountain they make you a Lord". Writing this review has made me realise I enjoyed it more than I thought! This struggling little family stay with you...

Atmospheric

[grahamhart-55335 · 5/10 · 5 August 2019]

Dark and moody with great acting,but nothing much happens.

A Truly Beautiful Piece Of Filmmaking... A Must Watch...

[P3n-E-W1s3 · 8/10 · 31 August 2019]

So this is a strange, dark, and brooding film. I admit I chose the film because of the blurb, once again. Luckily, this time it worked to my favour. The promotional text states this is a folktale set in Wales and for this, I picked it up. However, it's not. I cannot see this story being passed down from generation to generation as there's little morality within. There's also little superstition which is also a major element to folktales.

I should have been upset as I chose this for my Friday Night is Fright Night viewing pleasure. As the story progressed and nothing supernatural happened, even though it is hinted at, I still couldn't feel let down. This is due to one main fact. This is a good film.

It is a strong historical drama that exudes atmosphere, all of it dark. The director, William McGregor is a master at his art. I would gladly watch more by this man if they're all this good. The only drawback is the story, written also by McGregor, which is basic, to say the least. However, that isn't too big a hindrance as the direction and acting lift the film above the story.

McGregor uses his cast ascetically. For the most part, there's very little dialogue the characters tell their story through their actions. You know the sisters are close and loving as they sleep in the same bed. The older one tickles and plays with the younger. When the family walk anywhere the two girls are side by side. You even know who the bad guys of the play are even though they seldom speak. In fact, it's because McGregor records some of their speech in hushed tones, too quiet to make out, that your mind informs you they are up to no good. You also know that this small family isn't completely trusted or thought of in high praise by the community from the furtive glances they receive. I think it's because your mind engages to pick up these nuances that this film is so powerful.

All of this also adds to the oppressive atmosphere of the film. Even the slow pace of the film works to add an unease and an eerieness to the proceedings. Though the tempo of the film is slow it never feels sluggish. Truth be told, when the film ended I was surprised. I hadn't even realised I'd been watching for an hour and a half. I wanted more. I wanted it to continue.

This is not only down to the wonderful direction of the film - the iconic shots, the use of light, the landscape, and the constant howling wind - but also with thanks to the great cast.

Maxine Peake is a wonderful actress and I will check out a film or a series should she be in the cast. Unfortunately, this included the dreadful Keeping Rosy, of which she was the strongest cast member - should've had this guy directing. However, she's on top form as the stoic mother, Elen. This woman gives new meaning to strength. Being alone in the Welsh wilderness bringing up two girls and running a farm... her portrayal is worth watching this film for alone.

Though it's Eleanor Worthington-Cox as the title role, Gwen, who shines the strongest. Life for a teenage girl was much different back then. Cox superbly embodies the strength required to survive in the dire conditions, as well as showing love and concern for her sister and mother, both of which are different. She also expresses the eagerness of youth. All of this is performed subtly and falls perfectly into the context of the movie.

I would highly recommend this picture to historical drama lovers and lovers of film alike. I would also say; if there are any filmmakers out there who want to know what atmosphere looks like, sounds like, tastes like, feels like, then watch this film. I am so glad I did.

Dark bleak sad

[tro-76260 · 6/10 · 8 August 2019]

And that's ok would've liked a little more character development and dialogue to see us through the D B S moments.

Beautiful landscapes with pretentious filmmaking

[lankyalun · 3/10 · 16 May 2019]

This film is beautifully shot and the Snowdonia setting is stunning. I can't help but feel that the filmmaker got caught up in all this and used it to death.

The most frustrating thing for me is that neither of the two leads were Welsh with that being immediately evident once they said their first lines. Also, there were a range of different dialects in this rural community - some characters had north walian accents, some west walian and some south walian. That for me took away a huge amount of believability and authenticity. Might just be because I'm Welsh but I couldn't see past it.

Bleak

[derek-duerden · 7/10 · 27 January 2022]

A while back, Maxine Peake starred with John Simm in a TV series called "The Village". The latter was effectively single-handedly trying to keep the family farm going as the world had changed. I had to stop watching as it was just too depressing.

If anything, this film takes a similar theme (and Maxine in a similar role) and could have made an even more depressing film, were it not for the stellar performance of Eleanor Worthington-Cox. Despite *all* the setbacks and the misery, her stoic determination to keep farm and mother together in anticipation of her father's return carries the mood for a good portion of the film, and maybe us with it.

If you watch it (and, beware, it's tough going and certainly not for animal-lovers) then be prepared to either feel emptiness or hope at the ending. It could be read either way, provided you've already factored in the "man's inhumanity to man" context and content to that point.

Not recommended, really, as it's not a fun watch at all, but worth it for Eleanor's performance.

Breathtaking views on a slow ride

[Howling_at_the_Moon_Reviews · 6/10 · 16 August 2022]

Not all that much happens in this one... and yet I still really enjoyed it.

First off the entire movie is visually breathtaking. Every shot I would hang up on my wall. The acting is also superb, the mother and older daughter really killed it. This is by far a slow burn and kind of lethargic but very atmospheric and still somehow engaging.

I want to say I would have loved to see the plot beefed up a bit, and I do ultimately feel this way... however, there was a real charm to the way this was executed. Some people will say this is a bore fest, and they should stick to their Marvel movies. Would recommend.

Very weak ... very disappointed

[mohammadjalshowbaki · 3/10 · 30 August 2019]

Nothing in this movie, slow , no actions no conversations no events , weak story and bad end .

As bleak a situation

[szeek82 · 6/10 · 2 December 2019]

As one might find in the movies driven by good performances.children may fall asleep but I enjoyed this type of character dtiven movie.

POINTLESS

[kirbylee70-599-526179 · 1/10 · 21 October 2019]

I'm pretty open minded when I write about movies. I've enjoyed and recommended foreign films, art films, exploitation films and mainstream films. I've liked some movies others have hated and hated movies that others have loved. But when it comes time to review a movie that I truly can't recommend to anyone it becomes the most difficult thing to do.

GWEN tells the story of a young farm girl in 19th century North Wales. While she wants to play and take care of her sister, her mother is grooming her to take over the farm they own one day. The father in this mix is away at war, leaving the trio of women to take care of the family homestead.

Something strange is happening in the area. One family has seen their animals suddenly die and it isn't long before they're found dead as well. When Gwen's mother Eleanor is taken ill she worries if they are next. Add to that finding their sheep all slaughtered and dying her concern grows.

Eleanor is suffering from epilepsy, something not much was known of at the time. The doctor gives Gwen medicine for her mother to take but something else is going on. Gwen steps into her mother's room one night to find her bleeding herself as a cure.

Her mother treats her harshly but that's her way of pushing her to grow up. Gwen isn't sure of how to handle the things that are taking place. In addition to that she's afraid when the owners of the nearby slate mines come to Eleanor proposing to buy the farm which she refuses. But these men are not the type to take no for an answer.

Mysterious noises at night and dealing with her mother while raising her sister, Gwen's life is not something you would wish on anyone. But one night something happens that will change their lives forever.

Trust me when I say that this description of the film is much better than sitting through the 84 minutes it took to watch it. The scenery ranges from beautiful to dreary. Of the characters on screen you have sympathy more for Gwen's little sister than anyone and then Gwen herself. Eventually you have some for Eleanor but by then you're tired of seeing her weird and angry ways.

The worst part is that this is a film that...okay if you're going to watch it time for a spoiler alert. Ready? If you didn't stop reading let me say that this is one of those films that has no ending. It's a film that starts with one day and progresses from point A to point D and forgets all about points E through Z. I'm a viewer that hates films like this. I can accept a film as an art film but I'm one of those people who want a beginning, middle and end. This film offers only the beginning.

The big surprise in the film isn't all that surprising as well. And when a movie turns on a mid or late film surprise it had best be something you don't see coming. Otherwise the rest of the film is merely filler. I truly wanted to like this film but as the credits popped up on the screen I felt cheated and wondered why I had wasted nearly an hour and a half of my life watching it.

Feel free to watch the trailer and decide if you want to attempt this movie but I can't recommend it to anyone.

Overwhelming psychological thriller that never rises above mediocrity

[eminkl · 5/10 · 23 November 2019]

Gwen is an elegant, slow-burning psychological thriller that is, in the end, less than the sum of its parts. William McGregor's screenplay withholds a lot of information from the audience, so the film's first hour or so feels a little confusing as supernatural events may or may not happen. Via cinematography, musical score and the scenery alone, McGregor does a great job of creating a foreboding atmosphere, but it culminates in a third act that is very dark but not especially surprising. Too much of the film feels monotonous, and there is not nearly enough comic relief to provide much-needed levity that leads to tedium as well as exhaustion. Every movie needs comic relief, even a war movie. Midsommar offers a lot of that, even if some of it is in the form of bad laughs. Gwen doesn't turn into silliness nor rely on the value of shock as Midsommar does, but beyond his stylish cinematography, he doesn't have much else that is captivating. Style can sometimes be part of the content of a movie, but this is not the case with Gwen. At least the performance is good, so instead of the screenplay, the modicum of poignancy comes from that dimension. Gwen is an overwhelming psychological thriller that never rises above mediocrity at a running time of 98 minutes, which feels more like 2 hours.

Depressing, but undeniably powerful

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 18 May 2021]

Young teen Gwen (superbly played by Eleanor Worthington-Cox) struggles to keep her spirits up while living a bleak and thankless existence on her family farm in 19th century Wales. Things take a turn for the worse after her stern mother Elen (an equally terrific portrayal by Maxine Peake) falls ill and several villagers conspire to take the farm away from them.

Writer/director William McGregor tells the absorbing story at a deliberate pace, expertly crafts a supremely spooky and unsettling atmosphere that's rife with dread and unease, maintains an unsparingly grim tone throughout, and presents a flavorsome evocation of period setting. Moreover, McGregor captures the stark horror of abject poverty with bracing acuity. Washington-Cox's strong acting really holds this movie together. By no means a fun film, but an extremely potent and haunting one.

Starts out promising...

[the_nephilim71 · 3/10 · 13 August 2019]

It's beautifully shot and the story starts out interesting but just never really went anywhere. Sad, sad, sad is the way I'd describe this movie.

Not a horror

[armadilla17 · 2/10 · 16 June 2020]

Not a horror, not a horror, not a horror at all. Did I mention that it is not a horror movie. My low rating might not be fair to the movie but then shudder should not try and pass it off for what it's not, a supernatural thriller.

Poorly-Written Cryfest That Goes Nowhere.

[redrobin62-321-207311 · 3/10 · 14 January 2020]

It'd be nice to know that there is a revenge sequel to "Gwen" in the works; alas, as it stands, it is just a fragment of a much bigger part. I read that "Gwen" was horror, that's why I checked it out. It isn't. I read it was drama. Well, there are a few bits with some people yelling at each other, but that's all the drama there is. It's really nothing more than a long, drawn out broodfest in a dreary countryside with sheep and horses and chickens, oh my! That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. Not recommended.

Gorgeous Mood Piece Derailed by Screed

[olesd · 5/10 · 20 July 2019]

No Spoilers, but Gwen is a beautifully and skillfully shot atmospheric physiological story similar to The Witch or even the Russian film The Mirror in terms of feeling more like a dream or a memory at its best...and this last just until the conclusion where it basically decides it was too smart for its assumed viewership and dumbs everything down.

Watch Gwen if you enjoy gorgeously bleak landscapes and haunting themes of mental strife. But if you're like me when the 'evil business' angle unfolds it all becomes incredibly predictable and rote. The final 'action' bit felt like a disservice to what could have been a solid character piece. This is not a spoiler because every version of the description of this film feels the need to bring up the evil mine 'story'. It feels tacked on, the mine company is hilariously overwrought, and it leaves the sensibility of a piece of skillful art hacked to pieces to make a conventional horror flick.

I'm tired of movies that sell for money and take money to make complaining about people who make money.