The Others

It’s hard to write a review of The Others without spoilers, and I don’t want to spoil this movie for anyone. To make matters worse, I’m not sure what to say about The Others. I figured out what was going on about halfway through but I still liked it. Objectively, not a lot happens but the movie still kept me interested.

La parcalle: Nicole Kidman plays Grace, an overwhelmed British woman with a pair of kids. It’s 1945, and her husband is M.I.A. in Europe; for all intents and purposes she’s a war widow. Grace lives in a creepy old house, and her kids are a handful. She needs help.

The servants come later that morning (the old servants left). Grace takes them through the house, explaining that her children are allergic to light, so the house must be dark at all times. Trouble starts when Anna, one of the aforementioned children, starts seeing intruders in the house. Grace doesn’t believe her, but it soon becomes clear that it’s more like Grace doesn’t want to believe her. And that’s as much of the plot as I want to give away.

The Others relies on atmosphere and pacing. The conflicts in this movie are mostly interpersonal. There are lots of creepy/scary scenes that made me jump, which is not a high hurdle to clear. Grace’s kids act like real kids, not like pint-sized adults. The servants know more than they’re saying. If you like atmospheric ghost stories, you will adore The Others. If you like lots of action in your movies, not so much.

***

I mentioned that the acting is good, right?

***

One of the things that happens when you read a lot of these kinds of books and watch these types of movies is that you realize that, plot-wise, there are only a limited number of scenarios. You know that character who seems to serve no purpose? If it’s a mystery novel, she might be a red herring; if it’s a movie, she’s probably the key to the plot. People aren’t stupid and pick up on these things, although perhaps not consciously.

I think about these things all the time. That might be why I don’t enjoy reading or watching movies as much anymore. I tend to dissect what’s happening, and since that uses another part of the brain, it feels too much like work. I used to read and watch movies to relax.

***

One of the plot threads of this movie involves a mute servant named Lydia. Grace is curious and asks Mrs. Mills – another servant and the brains of the outfit – about the cause of her muteness several times, and every time Mrs. Mills is evasive. Later we learn why Lydia is mute, and the reason why Mrs. Mills couldn’t tell Grace. I wondered why Mrs. Mills didn’t lie, and then it struck me that Mrs. Mills doesn’t want to lie to Grace, which is kind of sweet. It’s also a nice character moment.

***

Mr. Tuttle (the gardener), on the other hand, is a shady character who looks like he pinches snuff at every possible opportunity. Check the liquor cabinet!