Here is a dreamy, drifting film, directed by Lucy Cohen, set on the Cornish coast in the long distant pre-smartphone summer of 1991. It’s unevenly presented sometimes and not everything here works, yet it is interesting for its atmospheric use of location and images, its tonal shifts and a disconnect between the ostensible reality of what’s happening and the feeling that certain parts are a hallucination, a psychopathological symptom of trauma, or a remembered dream.
The setting is a rugged and rugged coastline, where Yvonne (played by Josie Walker) has come for a relaxing vacation at a rented cottage with her quiet 11-year-old daughter, Evie (played by Flora Hylton). However, Evie’s father is not present and Yvonne seems to be taking a break from her marriage. She has promised Evie, who is shy and sensitive, that they can spend time together during this difficult period. However, Evie becomes horrified when a male friend of Yvonne’s, the obnoxious and flirtatious Tony (played by Steffan Rhodri), shows up unexpectedly. Yvonne tries to play it off as a surprise, but Evie correctly suspects that her mother had planned this unwelcome visit. Evie becomes distraught and finds solace in a friendship with Adam (played by Joel Sefton-longi), a boy her age who is also missing his father. However, Adam’s mother Debbie (played by Nichola Burley) is keeping secrets about their family situation, and Adam is also keeping a secret from her.
As Evie and Adam’s bond strengthens, things take an odd turn when he brings her to an abandoned tin mine where they hear eerie, ghost-like noises. Is this a tale of spirits? It’s unclear. Despite the frightening occurrences, they don’t unfold in the predictable manner. Evie simply resigns herself to another unpleasant event on this dreadful vacation.
The tone drastically changes when she returns to the cottage and finds her mother in bed with Tony, revealing a painful and explicit truth. The strange visits to the abandoned mine leave Evie questioning their significance and it leaves the audience puzzled as well. The unusual visits are followed by scenes of normalcy, indicating that Evie has safely returned from the underground with no issues. There is no hint of a flash-forward or a narrative voice questioning the events, making the strange occurrences even more perplexing. While not flawless, the story remains intriguing.
Source: theguardian.com
