‘The Home’ Review: There’s No Rest at the Rest Home in Spooky Swedish Thriller

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With the global median age steadily climbing and the prospect of danger becoming more prevalent across all age groups, there’s an increasing trend in cinema to tackle themes such as senility, dementia, elder abuse, and related topics. These subjects were scarcely seen on screens not too long ago. This shift includes even the horror genre, traditionally centered around frightening young characters. New additions to this growing list include “The Home,” a Swedish-language horror film, where an elderly stroke survivor enters a care facility but isn’t alone – unluckily, her brief moments of clinical death allowed a malicious spirit to accompany her from the “other side.

The premiere of SXSW’s Midnighter is expected to prompt remake proposals, but the increased shock moments and violence that might be added would weaken what gives Mattias J. Skoglund’s second film such impact. Its subtly quiet narrative of a supernatural tale holds a stronger enchantment than many larger, louder “possession” films filled with frightening effects and excessive elements. In this modestly sized, unassumingly matter-of-fact horror show, less is truly more.

Elderly resident Monika (Anki Liden) is tending to her kitchen when suddenly, off-camera, she falls and cries out in distress, “No! Leave me alone!” to some unseen entity. Not long after, her son Joel (Philip Oros), arriving from Stockholm, steps in to manage Monika’s affairs. It becomes increasingly evident that Monika can no longer live independently or with periodic caregiver visits. Despite this, the prospect of moving into the nearby home Ekskuggan saddens Monika greatly, as she frequently forgets that the matter has been previously discussed numerous times.

Bjorn, her other son, seems preoccupied with his growing business and family, leaving little time for helping mom during her transition. This leaves the responsibility to Joel, who often finds himself in a position of less favor. Despite being a struggling musician with past troubles like substance abuse, Joel’s second place status is further solidified when Monika, groggy from illness, mistakes him for Bjorn at first. However, his feelings of inadequacy stem from something more profound – his late father (Peter Jankert as Bengt), who was abusive and harsh, especially towards his wife and this “weaker,” gay child.

Bjorn is too busy with his business and family to help mom, leaving it all to Joel. Joel has had issues in the past and is often second best, a fact that’s reinforced when Mom mistakes him for Bjorn. But his feelings of being less than are rooted in his abusive father who was particularly hard on his mother and this son.

Joel finds it deeply unsettling that his mother, who had just experienced a near-death event, mentions “Bengt was waiting for me,” and then suffers a fall in her care home room, resulting in a broken arm. It’s believed these incidents are self-inflicted, but other residents, who may be confused due to their state of mind, start reporting unusual occurrences as well.

One evening, Lily Wahlsteen, a staff member, experiences something in Monika’s room that prompts her to resign immediately. During daylight hours, Joel finds himself confronted by his father or what seems like a vision, only for this figure to disappear mysteriously as suddenly as it had appeared. With no one else to turn to in this strange, seemingly supernatural situation, Joel’s closest friend, Nina (Gizem Erdogan), steps up to help. She works the night shift at Ekskuggan and invites Joel over to investigate the mysterious occurrences taking place there.

In many instances of gradually unsettling horror films that rely on subtlety, the climactic scenes may not be as impactful as the tension leading up to them. However, the final portion of “The Home” remains engaging enough to keep viewers feeling uneasy, hinting that the danger is far from over. The strength of its narrative lies in its ambiguity – we’re never fully certain what exactly the source of this menace is: Is it Bengt returned from the dead or a malevolent force that takes on whatever shape would scare its victims the most?

In a surprising and chilling turn, the seasoned actors subtly exhibit a predatory glint in their eyes, signaling something ominous about to be said. Unlike typical films where villains spew out clichéd curses or blasphemies, Skoglund’s script delivers cutting, personal remarks intended to cause deep emotional harm. For instance, the character Bengt cruelly mocks his terrified son by saying, “I always thought you’d die first, from AIDS.

The skillfulness of the film is just as impressive despite its low-key approach, giving it a simplistic, suspenseful atmosphere. This is reflected in Toti Guonason’s ominous background score and Vera Theander’s production design, which initially appears cheerful with institutional colors but gradually acquires an unsettling character in Malin LQ’s atmospheric cinematography.

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2025-03-11 08:17