Taglines: How well do you know your neighbors?
Clemence Poesy (Harry Potter, Gossip Girl) stars as Kate, a young Londoner expecting her first child with husband Justin (Stephen Campbell Moore). When new neighbors move into the fancy garden apartment downstairs, wealthy banker Jon (David Morrissey) initially acts gruff and distant, but his glamorous Scandinavian wife, Theresa (Laura Birn), quickly forms an almost over-friendly bond with Kate. United by pregnancy, the women bring their spouses together for a boozy dinner party that ends in horror when Theresa stumbles down an unlit staircase, losing her baby.
Angry and bereft, Jon and Theresa blame their neglectful new neighbors for the loss. Relations between the couples turn bitter, amplifying latent tensions between Justin and Kate, who has a delicate family history of depression and suicide. But the mood lightens a little when the grieving newcomers leave London for a spell to get over their tragedy, pointedly avoiding the birth of Kate’s healthy baby boy.
Returning to London with Jon months later, a contrite Theresa cautiously rebuilds her friendship with Kate, even earning her trust as a regular babysitter. But her close interest in the child begins to suggest murky ulterior motives. Suspicions aroused by a series of sinister clues and near-miss accidents, Kate turns detective on her neighbors.
Adhering to the psycho-thriller manual, Farr naturally keeps us guessing whether all this dark stuff is really happening or just post-natal paranoia. Which is a big hot steaming bowl of Rosemary’s Baby, of course, but tasty and nutritious all the same.
The Ones Below is a 2015 British thriller directed by David Farr in his feature debut. It was shown in the Panorama section at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival and released on 11 March 2016 in the United Kingdom.
The Ones Below
Directed by: David Farr
Starring: Clémence Poésy, David Morrissey, Stephen Campbell Moore, Laura Birn, Deborah Findlay, Natasha Alderslade, Tuyen Do, Grace Calder
Screenplay by: David Farr
Production Design by: Francesca Balestra Di Mottola
Cinematography by: Ed Rutherford
Film Editing by: Chris Wyatt
Costume Design by: Sarah Blenkinsop
Music by: Adem Ilhan
MPAA Rating: R for language, some sexuality and nudity.
Studio: A24 Films
Release Date: May 27, 2016
Views: 68
