Lovely Molly

Eduardo Sánchez’s The Blair Witch Project (co-directed with Daniel Myrick) broke new ground in horror, and its influence is still prevalent today. His new entry in spook cin­ema doesn’t play for shocks or gimmicks, as its strength lies in the intimacy of its portrayal of a woman’s disintegration in the face of an unrelenting evil. The quiet, raw power of Sánchez’s latest work is more akin to Polanski’s Repulsion than any of the Bible belt–endorsed possession films of recent years.

Newlyweds Molly (Gretchen Lodge) and Tim (Johnny Lewis) move into Molly’s deceased father’s house in the countryside. An ex-addict with a deeply troubled past, Molly is strong in her new life of recovery. Unexplained disturbances in the night unnerve the couple, and when her husband goes away for business, Molly is left in a house that holds many painful memories. Her isolation is soon shattered by a mali­cious presence that unleashes a physical and mental assault. As she struggles to regain footing in her simple existence, Molly’s grip on reality begins to waver. Her erratic behav­iour is a warning sign to her friends and family, whose interventions drive her further into solitary torment and spur a deep, dark infidelity within her.

Molly’s life as the wife of a trucker and a member of the custodial staff at a local mall imbues the story with a refreshing working-class realism that enhances the corrupting presence of an evil seeking to defile every­thing she holds dear. Newcomer Lodge’s compelling transformation from withdrawn waif to haunted seductress is harrowing and strikingly real. A battle rages inside Molly for control of her newfound sobriety, her life and her very soul. Lodge displays arresting intensity as a victim of supernatural abuse, and when her inner turmoil compels Molly to lash out, those around her had better be on guard — because neither she nor the evil that stalks her are willing to go down easy. –TIFF