Beware the quirky foster mother who introduces herself as a bit of a weirdo. That’s how Laura (Sally Hawkins) cheerily greets the newly orphaned teenage siblings Andy and Piper in the new horror “Bring Her Back,” which opens in theaters Friday.
The comment, more telling than the kids realize at the time, comes after Laura excitedly introduces Piper, who is non-sighted, to her dog. She thinks it’s a good joke to not explain first that the animal is not alive.
The taxidermy is in fact the least weird thing about Laura. Australian filmmakers Michael and Danny Philippou, also behind the teen chiller debut “Talk to Me,” have dreamed up a new nightmare of trauma, grief, resurrection and the deep failures of Australia’s child protective services. That last part is not actually a prominent throughline in the film, but after witnessing what these kids endure in the brisk 99-minute runtime, you too might have some questions about that department’s standard practices.
Many horror movies and stories have utilized non-seeing characters to enhance the suspense. “Bring Her Back” strives to make Piper (newcomer Sora Wong) more than a gimmick but a young woman trying to assert her independence — she refuses to use her cane, which she thinks makes everyone baby her.
Piper’s main protector is her sweet and attentive older brother Andy (Billy Barratt). The film gives the audience a morsel of normality with these two before plunging us into the horror, first with the sudden death of their father, and then with the strange goings on at Laura’s secluded home.
They’re surprised when they arrive to find there’s another child there as well: Olly (Jonah Wren Phillips), who is mute, deeply strange and, when not locked in his room, getting into bloody messes of his own making. If you’re squeamish about gaping wounds and the full surround sound experience of their squishing and oozing, this might not be the movie for you. For those who delight in the crafts behind it all, the makeup and sound work here is truly top notch.
Like many of “Bring Her Back’s” genre peers, the occult, nude older men and grainy VHS tapes also co-star in the proceedings. Laura, whose non-seeing daughter drowned recently, is particularly fixated on Piper and equally as dismissive of poor Andy.
While you can probably guess her endgame, the way it comes together is more of the point, and the Philippou twins certainly infuse the film with a fair amount of foreboding before anything truly deranged starts happening. It’s a fun mystery to watch Laura’s strange behavior, which one eventful day includes encouraging Andy to kiss his dead father on the lips (“it’s custom”), getting the kids drunk and peeing in a measuring cup.
Andy, three months shy of 18, was not originally supposed to accompany his sister to the foster home. But he convinces the social worker to give him a chance until he can apply for legal guardianship. Unfortunately, Laura seems intent on driving him away. He already has lingering trauma from finding his dead father (and other things that will be revealed in time), and now there’s this chipper, tiny woman ready to gaslight him into insanity. Barratt, who won acclaim for his portrayal of a 12-year-old accused of killing his mother’s boyfriend in the British television film “Responsible Child,” is excellent in a difficult role.
Hawkins, meanwhile, gets to be bigger and wilder with Laura, shedding the nurturing mothers of “Paddington” and “Wonka” for something defiantly disturbed. She’s also got a few delightfully chilling lines that I won’t spoil. And yet somehow Hawkins is also able to stay clear of campiness and make Laura, unhinged though she may be, the teeniest bit empathetic.
The film doesn’t quite earn the emotional catharsis it seems to be striving for. It’s a little too insane and also underdeveloped, especially Piper’s character, to let the audience in on that level. But if you’ve come for unexpected scares and creativity, “Bring Her Back” will not disappoint.
“Bring Her Back,” an A24 release in theaters Friday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “some grisly images, language, graphic nudity, strong violent content, underage drinking). Running time: 99 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.
