How Do You Talk About a Movie Like Josephine?

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The film Josephine begins with the observation that “Brains are pretty delicate things.” This idea guides the movie, which explores the aftermath of a traumatic event through the eyes of eight-year-old Josephine. While practicing soccer with her father, Josephine witnesses a horrific attack, and the film focuses on how this experience changes her understanding of the world. Though the subject matter is sensitive, the director skillfully avoids sensationalism, instead prioritizing Josephine’s internal experience and portraying the world as she now perceives it – a place that’s suddenly frightening and confusing.

The film uses a striking visual style, but it never feels artificial because the way it looks reflects the main character’s inner state. Jo, played brilliantly by Reeves, is a shy and easily influenced child. Her father, Damien (Channing Tatum), is all about toughness and pushing through fear – he even tells her, “Scared don’t live here,” while trying to make her run under a closing garage door as part of their exercise routine. But Jo is simply too afraid. After she witnesses a terrible crime and the attacker (Philip Ettinger) is caught – with Damien helping in the chase – Jo starts seeing him everywhere: quietly present, at the dinner table, playing with her mouse, even coloring her books. This unsettling idea could easily feel forced, but the director handles it with a surprising and subtle grace. The film uses long, flowing shots that move around rooms, occasionally catching glimpses of this ghostly figure – a lingering reminder of the trauma, still wearing the green shirt from the crime.

As the story unfolds, it’s revealed that Jo is the only one who can positively identify the suspect in court. This realization intertwines with the question of whether this vulnerable child is emotionally and mentally capable of testifying. She undergoes evaluations by counselors, psychologists, and lawyers to determine her competency. Her parents disagree on how best to support her: her mother, Claire, a dancer sensitive to emotions, wants to shield Jo from the ordeal, while her father, Damien, believes Jo has a responsibility to help put the perpetrator behind bars. Damien’s own history of childhood abuse explains both his reserved nature and his forceful opinions, and the actor portraying him skillfully captures this internal conflict. He genuinely wants to do what’s right, but his instincts often lean towards anger and emotional distance.

Much of the film is beautifully shot with long, flowing takes that feel both grand and focused on the child’s perspective. While the camera doesn’t show things directly from her point of view, it successfully creates the feeling of seeing the world through her frightened eyes – a world that’s confusing and full of possibilities. This culminates in a particularly impressive scene where the shaky camera follows Josephine into court, mirroring her growing anxiety as she’s questioned by lawyers. The director uses these visual techniques to heighten the drama without becoming overly sensationalized. The film reminded me of Pascal Plante’s Red Rooms, a 2024 thriller, though Josephine isn’t as intense. Both films share a similar visual style that cuts through the typical details of courtroom scenes to reveal the characters’ inner turmoil.

Before the film’s premiere at Sundance, director de Araújo explained that her young actress, Reeves, wouldn’t sit in the audience until partway through the screening. Much of the first half of the movie contained material unsuitable for a child of Reeves’ age. This comment sparked discussion, highlighting the vulnerability of young minds to difficult imagery. It was also notable because Reeves delivers a captivating performance, subtly conveying her character’s inner struggles. The filmmakers clearly guided her to this performance without fully revealing the disturbing events her character was experiencing. De Araújo’s words might also have served as a broader reminder that even as adults, we are affected by powerful imagery, perhaps in less obvious ways. While Josephine doesn’t necessarily offer a unique storyline, it presents it in a fresh and compelling manner.

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2026-01-25 22:54