ODDITY
After the murder of her twin sister, medium and oddity shop owner Darcy visits the husband she left behind, gifting him an alarming wooden mannequin. ODDITY is a battle between skepticism and the supernatural. It is a spellbinding tale of revenge.
Carolyn Bracken is Darcy. This character is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Her supernatural abilities and encompassing rage come off as powerfully controlled. Bracken is dazzling.
The production design by Lauren Kelly delivers visuals that are startling and sneaky. Creepy art pieces, like the anatomical drawing behind Ted’s desk to the Rorschach paintings, hung in the house subconsciously keep you off kilter. Darcy’s shop even houses director Damian McCarthy‘s disquieting rabbit from his 2020 terrifier CAVEAT.
Bravo to the editing by Brian Philip Davis. The several jump scares are well-earned. The twists, yes plural, are shocking. The wooden figure’s physical evolution is skin crawling. Elements of ancient witchcraft and haunted objects mesmerize and terrify. The final shot is deliciously satisfying.
IFC Films Will Release ODDITY
In Theaters July 19th
Synopsis
When Dani is brutally murdered at the remote country house that she and her husband Ted are renovating, everyone suspects a patient from the local mental health institution, where Ted is a doctor. However, soon after the tragic killing, the suspect is found dead. A year later, Dani’s blind twin sister Darcy, a self-proclaimed psychic and collector of cursed items, pays an unexpected visit to Ted and his new girlfriend, Yana. Convinced that there was more to her sister’s murder than people know, Darcy has brought with her the most dangerous items from her cursed collection to help her exact revenge.
Writer / Director: Damian McCarthy
Starring: Gwilym Lee, Carolyn Bracken, Tadhg Murphy, Caroline Menton, Jonathan French, Steve Wall
Language: English
Run Time: 98 Min
For more IFC and Shudder films, click here!
With generational tensions you can cut with a knife, the power struggle screams off the screen. The script is carefully curated, with Irish pagan history weaved into the narrative. The tug of war between protection and control makes for a thoroughly engrossing watch. Do not get comfortable with this script. You are in for some gruesome twists. The sound editing creates another layer of fright. Brimming with scary good performances, it is the turn from Carolyn Bracken that will chill you to your core.
You must be logged in to post a comment.