Review by Eric Hillis
Directed by: BT Meza
Starring: Jessica Rothe, Joseph Cross, Julianna Layne
Based on her outstanding turn in the excellent horror comedy Happy Death Day, I was sure Jessica Rothe was set for superstardom. Aside from that movie's disappointing sequel, Hollywood has failed to come calling for Rothe. You can't help but imagine that if mainstream rom-coms were still being made, Rothe would be a leading star in that field. But Hollywood's loss is the indie horror sphere's gain, as that seems to be where Rothe has downed her professional anchor. Horror has always provided roles for underappreciated actresses, and Rothe is the latest to benefit from the genre's egalitarian nature.
It seems remarkable that a first-time filmmaker should be able to snag a talent like Rothe, but that's just what writer/director BT Meza has pulled off with this his feature debut Affection. It's a meaty part that Rothe bites into with relish, delivering the sort of performance that may have Hollywood casting agents regretting overlooking her for more mainstream roles.
Rothe plays Ellie, who wakes up in the middle of the night and doesn't recognise the man in her bed. That stranger assures her that he is her husband Bruce (Joseph Cross), and he explains that she was left with amnesia following a car accident. Bruce has brought Ellie to a remote farmhouse with no contact with the outside world, explaining that he acted on the advice of medical specialists in doing so. Ellie isn't buying his story. She is sure that her name is Sarah, and she has clear memories of another life.
It seems obvious from the off that we're in for a Gaslight-style thriller, but Affection throws a spanner in the works in the form of Alice (Julianna Layne), Ellie and Bruce's young daughter. Alice recognises Ellie as her mother, so there is clearly something a little different at play here.
With a woman questioning her reality and her relationship with her husband on a remote farm, Affection covers similar ground to the recent Australian sci-fi horror In Vitro. Its Australian counterpart was more assured in its storytelling however, and Affection struggles to communicate some of its ideas once it enters the realm of science fiction. There are images and concepts here that wouldn't be out of place in a 1950s b-movie, but Meza attempts to play this premise with a straight face. I'm not sure the filmmaking always sells it - there is an exposition dump that might leave you with more questions than answers - but Rothe's performance certainly helps ground the drama.
Rothe throws herself into a role that veers from psychological to physical. There are body horror moments late on that made me think she could make a great Ash if they ever make a more faithful gender-swapped Evil Dead remake. The dual identity narrative means Rothe is asked to essentially play two roles here, and she sells Ellie's development from a confused pawn in a sick game to a woman mustering up the strength to turn the tables.
Cross is especially sinister as the man claiming to be Ellie's husband. Rather than mustache twirling, Cross plays Bruce as a sympathetic nice guy, but there is something deeply unsettling in the way he displays affection for Ellie and Alice. Perhaps what's most disturbing is Bruce's sense of entitlement and how he exploits Ellie's mental state in such a non-consensual manner.
As Alice, Layne is a revelation. Much of the plot relies on Layne being able to pull off a performance that keeps us guessing, and there are a couple of heartbreaking moments that focus on Alice's inability to understand why the woman she believes is her mother is acting like a stranger.
Affection does suffer somewhat from budget constraints. Flashbacks could have made things a lot more clear for the audience, rather than sitting the protagonist down in front of a screen as a cheap way of explaining the backstory. But there are enough clever ideas and striking images here to suggest Meza is worth investing in. The notion of rejigging an old b-movie premise as a straight up horror movie is a commendable effort, and Rothe's committed performance just about pulls it off.
Affection plays at The Overlook Film Festival on April 10th, 12th and 14th.
