Dir. David Bruckner | Now Streaming On: Hulu | Rating: 3/5

I streamed The Night House with my mom last week looking for something with less of a gore factor and more of a psych factor. The Night House is definitely a cerebral film, tiptoeing in both the psychological thriller and arthouse genres. Though creative in its premise and bold in its subject matter, I found this to be too highbrow and slow to get into. ⁠
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Like most psychological horror, it can be challenging to speak critically about it without revealing the twist. At its core, The Night House is a commentary on the cyclical nature of depression and its impact on both the person with the diagnosis and the people who love them. We watch Beth grapple with her own mental illness, which was a driving force in her life both before and after the death of her husband. If you’ve ever experienced depression, either situationally or clinically, it is hard to ignore the strength of its influence. The way in which depression morphs the entire personalities of these characters is very poignant. ⁠
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I applaud The Night House for its head on conversation around suicide. I find that media around mental illness often addresses the emptiness and guilt that people who lose someone to suicide experience after the death. Not many address the frustration and anger those same people grapple with. The Night House does this in a truly bold and unflinching way, as Beth cycles through the phases of grief. If this is a sensitive subject for you, I wouldn’t recommend watching this. ⁠
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I’m rating this as low as I am because the storyline feels poorly executed. It stumbles toward an ending that should feel climatic, but instead feels lost and empty. If you’re a fan of something a bit more lofty and intellectual, this might be a satisfying watch for you. But for me, this felt like a valiant effort that struggled to stick its landing. ⁠
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Know Before You Watch: Features discussions of suicide, death.