Resurrection

There is no way to summarize this movie. It is a simple story on its surface; a woman’s life and sanity is threatened when an abusive ex from her long ago past comes back into her life. But that does such a disservice to the elements that make up the roller coaster ride that is Resurrection. You will think you know where it is going. You’ll think you have a handle on things. And then it pulls the rug out from under you, in the most deft and earned way, and yet simple way. The direction in this is absolutely fantastic, especially the attention to detail. Little things like how Margaret (played by Rebecca Hall, who we will discuss in a moment) chides her daughter for swearing and never swears herself … until the world starts falling apart around her, and then she’s dropping three f-bombs in one sentence. The way Margaret’s outward appearance deteriorates from poised and elegant to sweaty and disheveled. How her behavior becomes not only erratic, but controlling in much the same way she once endured. She is our window into the world, and as she breaks down, the viewer starts to question the validity of what they’re seeing, and for good reason. And all this is held together by Rebecca Hall, who is easily not only one of my favorite actors, but one of the best work working today, bar none. Like, top ten, worldwide. She elevated anything she’s in, guaranteed. Her slow descent into paranoia is so amazing to watch, and it’s in a million little details, from the way she stumbles over words or her stature. She throws herself into every performance, and she needs recognition for it. And then she’s got Tim Roth to act with, who is woefully underrated and an excellent slimeball. The movie does run a little long and feels a bit uneven in spots, but they are far from detractions against the movie. This is a top tier psychological thriller, with a truly mind-bending ending, anchored by one of the finest actors of our time.