[Film Review] Woe (2021)

Woe (2021) is a slow-burning thriller about two grief-stricken siblings. After the death of a beloved family member, each sibling processes grief in differing ways. The emotion of grief consumes one while the other wishes to forget the pain but lurking behind their sorrow, a dark cloaked figure follows the pair and grows increasingly closer. Woe is a prime example of a well-lit and shot film which uses quality cinematography to distract from a bland and confusing story. Although film is an audio and visual medium, slow-burning horror films like Hereditary (2018) still encompassed terrifying and now-iconic scenes alongside well-executed cinematography. Unfortunately, Woe fails to deliver on many levels; I wanted it to provide a story that depicts the darkness created through grief. Instead, it gives a confusing storyline and an unclear purpose to the grim-reaper-like character that stalks the isolated characters.

Charlie, played by Adam Halferty, gives a fantastic performance, setting the film’s tone with anxious facial expressions. Charlie spends his days repairing the house of his passed relative, but his repairs seem never-ending. Halferty does not have much dialogue, which was a disappointment because his presence on screen is bold and intuitive therefore, the opportunity to discover more of his character feels missed. With this, the audience’s connection would have strengthened, giving way for empathy to build, thus creating an audience who actually cares about what happens to these characters. Charlie’s confined fixations were fascinating to see unfold, and dialogue would have given more complexity to Charlie outside of his isolated state.

In contrast, Betty, played by Jessie Rabideau, presents as a stressed stoner whose flat curiosity throughout makes for dull moments. Betty seems to be overwhelmed by the responsibilities that come with the process of grief. Therefore creating a whirlwind of second-guessing and commitment issues within her world. The fears of marriage, having children, and growing up all pile onto Betty but nothing that a late-night joint couldn’t fix! These emotions are all complex, and I wish they had been unpacked further. Instead, these fleeting fears of hers were dropped altogether and never addressed again. Ultimately, Betty accepts her woes with a smile and drives off into the unknown without any semblance of closure or resolve.

Woe offers some beautiful cinematography, dynamic shots, and the vivid use of color helped to keep my attention. However, the set design for the film was plain, which felt overly cautious; I was left seeking hints, clues, even ‘easter eggs’ within those bare backgrounds to put the story together, but nothing ever stuck out. The organization of the plot fell apart with the introduction of Uncle Pete, played by James Russo, a relative that aggressively offers information to Charlie about the past. However, his presence in the film ultimately leads nowhere. While Charlie continues to unhinge further, Betty becomes curious about her brother’s activities and digs for answers back home. Unfortunately, her findings do not create any momentum for the story to continue or evoke any emotion from Betty until the last second. Therefore giving nothing to the audience to hang onto, root for, or care about.

The addition of James Russo, known for his role in Django Unchained (2012), was a pleasant surprise if you are a fan of Russo. If not, his character is insignificant other than presenting as a paranoid uncle who lives in the middle of nowhere. Woe had so much potential to become a classic horror with a deep-rooted emotional theme similar to what we’ve seen in films like The Babadook (2014). Unfortunately, even with some of the most beautiful locations I’ve ever seen in a movie, it lacked creativity and was missing the depth required for a film focusing on grief. In the end, the lack of plot structure and substance stripped this film bare of being experimental or entertaining. The last nail in the coffin was the stale overuse of a cloaked figure, underwhelming CGI, and big horror no-no by killing the dog. Woe (2021) was interestingly confusing and left me wanting both more and a lot less.

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