Review: Bring Her Back
Heart-wrenching tale of grief and evil!
When a brother and sister are placed in a foster home, they quickly discover that their foster mother and her property hold strange and unusual secrets. Eventually, they become part of a ritual that plunges them into a living nightmare.
Directed by Australian brothers Danny and Michael Philippou, Bring Her Back is an impressive portrayal of the human psyche and the nature of evil.
The Philippous made a significant breakthrough in 2022 with the horror hit Talk to Me, a story centered around supernatural elements involving the body, soul, and psychology. In Bring Her Back, similar themes dominate the narrative, while evil is channeled and depicted in masterful ways.
Billy Barratt and Sora Wong play half-siblings Andy and Piper, two teenagers whose father dies unexpectedly, leading to their relocation to a new foster mother, Laura. Piper has been deeply dependent on and closely bonded with her older brother her whole life, as she is almost completely blind. When the child welfare services try to separate them, they insist on staying together—at least for three more months, until Andy turns 18 and can apply to become Piper’s legal guardian. Laura agrees to let Andy stay, but from the very first day, she exhibits clear signs of being odd and unsettling.
Their new foster mother especially challenges Andy in psychosocial ways that create uncomfortable and disturbing situations. He feels distrusted and belittled, and is gradually used as a scapegoat by Laura in order to damage Piper’s relationship with him. The psychological battle between Laura and Andy intensifies, while Laura’s third foster son, Oliver, shows clear signs of mental and physiological instability. What is really going on in this house?
Playing the role of Laura is two-time Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water, Blue Jasmine). Her slightly quirky and scatterbrained demeanor is a perfect match for the unstable and confused Laura—a mother who recently lost her own child Cathy in a traumatic drowning accident and who is visibly struggling with grief, loss, and processing the traumatic event.
Bring Her Back is, unsurprisingly, about grief, loss, and the challenges of coping with difficult events, emotions, and a new reality. Thematic threads include painful and intense issues such as adoption, mental and physical abuse, the exploitation of children and youth by adults, and the struggle to deal with one’s own mental state.
We quickly feel sympathy and warmth toward Andy and Piper. The characters are instantly engaging, well-acted, and provide the emotional connection the story depends on. The discomfort introduced by Laura—a woman who breaks social and ethical codes and norms—adds a chilling, awkward, and eventually horrifying atmosphere to the story.
The direction and script by the Philippou brothers are solid, precise, and impressive. There are no overused jump scares or cheap horror tricks. Instead, we are given shocking moments and scenes that arrive unexpectedly, often with long, visual focus on grotesque and deeply disturbing violence. Bring Her Back has rightly earned its rare 18+ age rating for a reason.
The film deserves high praise for many things, one of them being its refusal to hold back or shield either the audience or its characters. The story becomes harrowingly tragic, disturbingly realistic, and deeply upsetting—something viewers should be prepared for. As you watch, you can’t help but reflect on the unimaginable suffering thousands of children endure daily under intensely self-absorbed, disturbed, and evil adults.
The film is reminiscent of works by Ari Aster, particularly Hereditary (2018) and Midsommar (2019), especially in style and how visual discomfort and horror are employed. For me, the Danish film Speak No Evil (2022), with its related themes and disturbing atmosphere, also becomes a natural comparison.
That said, the narrative is not without its minor annoyances. A few things feel off—like why the police don’t get more involved as events unfold. Fortunately, this doesn't significantly detract from the film. By the end, the story of Andy and Piper becomes heartbreaking, terrifying, and so cruelly dark that you may find yourself left stunned and speechless.
But this is exactly what is so admirable and powerfully executed—the Philippou brothers have not opted for a milder, more digestible version. This boldness is precisely what elevates the film above the average. With their last two films, they have firmly established themselves as exciting voices within a genre they now seem to be helping redefine. The horror genre, as we know, needs to constantly challenge itself to avoid becoming stale. Bring Her Back continues the recent trend of layered, intellectually engaging horror films. Some scenes in this film feel almost physically impactful—and will stay with your body and mind long afterward. You have been warned.
(Photo/Copyright: SF Norge)