GRACE is a film that been so over hyped by the horror Fanboy base, and bashed by the general horror fan who thought they were going to get something over the top. The difference between them and me is that, unlike the majority of horror fans, I am married, have a child and another baby on the way. So where does that leave me? Unlike the rest, I can relate to this film.
Like just about everyone else with whom I have spoken, I went into this one very skeptical. I was not sure if director Paul Solet had children or not and was wondering how someone with no experience with fatherhood and children could write a story that was realistic enough to impress me. Turns out that Paul is not a father at all, but did a lot of research and spoke with many mothers. To say the least, he hit the nail right on the head and captured the true spirit between mother and child.
GRACE; originally made as a short film back in 2006, is a lot different from the feature. The story is about a young couple who is expecting their first child. When a horrible car accident happens and the father passes away in the crash, Madeline (Jordan Ladd), the now widowed expecting mother, is told that her baby is stillborn. Refusing to seek a doctor’s help to induce the labor, she goes full term with the help of a midwife (Samantha Ferris). When the day comes, the girl is dead. However, a few moments later, after putting the her daughter’s mouth to her breast, the baby comes back to life. All is well for a few weeks. Both baby and mother are fine, but the depression of losing her husband and the stress of being a new parent are starting to take its toll on Madeline. Meanwhile, her pain-in-the-ass mother in law Vivian (Gabrielle Rose), is going though her own depression after losing her son. She goes though a traumatic experience of wanting to be mother again and is showing more than enough concern about what is going on with her granddaughter. Not to spoil the rest of the story for everyone, but pretty much baby Grace has a fixation for human blood and with flies buzzing around her and a bunch of other health problems, it’s safe to say that baby Grave is not your ordinary child.
I have always said that a real horror film is not about how much blood and guts you put in to it. The majority of horror fans only need that to be impressed. As for me, you need to do better. You need to have substance behind your story and an issue which you can present to the viewer that makes them think beyond the level of just being entertained. Paul Solet does just that with his script and does it well. The script for GRACE takes on aspects of issues from being pregnant; right down to the social issue of how fit a parent should be to raise a child.
There really is a lot of ground covered here. In the film, Madeline is a vegan, and only eats food that caters to that lifestyle. This is a huge issue. Most mothers should be consuming a well-balance diet that includes meat and proteins to ensure that the child is developing well. It is a known fact that children born to mothers who are on strict diets not recommended by doctors are known to have low birth weight and other various problems. Not bore anyone with statistics or anything, there are a lot of relating issues covered in this film. The script really brings them to light. Everything from what the doctors do in the hospital, right down to corruption in our judicial system to the trauma of losing a child. In addition, other issue pops up during the film. However, I do not want to give that away as it is one that is made known at the end of the film. Solet’s script is more than just blood and guts; it hits you from the left and the right and keeps you thinking. It has the perfect blend of story and character development as well.
The film has some great acting a well as production value. Jordan Ladd who plays Madeline is a perfect fit for the role. She really pulls off a tough, yet solid performance. Gabrielle Rose probably has the toughest role in the film as Madeline’s mother-in-law, Vivian Matheson. Not only is it a role where she has to play the annoying, out-of-control mother-in-law, but she also has a scene in the film that I don’t think any other actress could have pulled off. The cast as a whole is solid in this film. However, those two performances, which are polar opposites stand out the most. The production value is decent, the sets and overall design are effective. The visual effects look cheap, especially the flies in some scenes. I also do not think the real baby used in the film and the CGI/Animatronic baby look much a like. I do, however, give director Paul Solet credit for only shooting the baby used for effects at certain angles and showing only certain features of the face to hide the fact that they are not the same baby. It is still noticeable, but not enough so that it makes us lose focus on the film itself.
The Blu-ray disc has many special features, most of which where produced by my friend, ADAM BARNICK. The disc includes audio commentary with Writer/Director Paul Solet, Producer and annoying meat guy in the super market, Adam Green, Director of Photography Zoran Popvic. There is also another track with Writer/Director Paul Solet, and actor Jordan Ladd. Other features include GRACE: Conception, GRACE: Family, Her Mother’s Eyes: The Look of GRACE, GRACE: Delivered, Lullaby: Scoring GRACE, GRACE at Sundance, the film’s trailer and more.
In the end, I think GRACE is a very solid and effective horror film. As a parent, I think that Paul Solet really did his research and got it right. There are so many social, ethical and controversial issues covered in this film that make is one unique horror film. It’s rare that a horror film makes you cry, and the scene where Madeline give birth to a dead Grace is one that will bring tears to any parent’s eyes. It is the most emotional scene I have seen in a horror film. It is a film that I think will have more of an effect on people who have kids versus those who do not, but as a parent and someone who knows their horror, I can honestly say that GRACE is one that will stick with you for a while.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
