We Are What We Are

We Are What We Are is one of those movies there are a bunch of things that should put in the upper echelons of modern horror, or at least get it affixed with the "hidden gem" label. It has stellar performances from its three leads, Bill Sage as father Frank, and Ambyr Childers and Julia Garner as his two daughters, Iris and Rose. Frank is a fantastic character, a man who undoubtedly loves his children, but who is also so convinced in the sanctity of his faith (a faith born from a terrible place, to be clear), it has twisted and corrupted him beyond reproach, definitely to the point of being blind to his own failings. Iris and Rose are equally interesting as two different forms of rebellious youth; Iris, a late teen, wants to do right by her father and the family in the wake of losing their mother, but she also yearns to see what the world outside her familial cloister has to offer. Iris is the personification of loyalty fighting against individuality. Rose, on the other hand, is a young teen, right on that edge where questioning the rules of the world makes sense. As much as she loves her family, the traditions of her family and their belief system aren't making sense anymore, and she's starting to push back. All three actors carry off these complex portrayals exceedingly well. They are the reason to watch this. We Are also has an excellent slow-burn build to it. The pacing is just right, building up the atmosphere and the stakes, introducing the elements that blow up their world and the town around them until the third act. When the situation explodes, it does so in a wholly jarring but fascinating (and gory) way. Never let it be said this movie doesn't go for it in the climax. And it uses the framework of the slow-burn and Iris' and Rose's rebellion against their father as a means to explore faith, devotion, family, and how belief can be toxic if that belief comes from a rotten place. It is by no means an attack on belief and religion, but an examination on those who use religion as a way to brush aside terrible behavior as "the word of God". The problem for We Are What We Are is that the movie's story is at war with itself on how to tell it, and it undercuts everything. The Parker family belief system is at the very center of this movie, and the movie tries to have it both ways by not coming out and saying what their belief structure is, but also dropping hints that are as subtle the signage along the Vegas strip. Only the daftest, most clueless putz will not figure it out until the movie comes out and confirms it, because We Are cannot stop screaming the quiet parts through the Ricola horn. It leaves the movie in this odd state of tonal dissonance where it feels like it's trying to tease the viewer with something they already know, but saying "nope, it's not what you think it is", and then that's all it is. You'll always be four steps ahead of the movie's lone protagonist trying to unravel the "mystery", waiting for him to get to where you've been for 45 minutes, which will give you a sense of impatience, because you know the movie knows you know its "twist", but it's just gonna keep on chugging, pretending you don't. And then there's the dropped plot threads, like the town sheriff that goes missing and never gets found, or the body pulled from the lake that is never identified. There was so much care put into the atmosphere and acting in this movie, and I appreciate all that effort. As much as the movie's story frustrated me, I was still interested to see where it was going, and I tip my hat to the look and feel of this movie. But I can't look past the storylines the movie just drops for no good reason, and that the movie wants to tease you with something you already know. There is a good idea here, but it is told in a way that does the hard work of the cast no favors.