RESURRECTION (2022) – Review

There have been many compelling movies about domestic abuse. Some for enlightenment about a serious, widespread cultural blight; others primarily designed purely as thrillers, usually with a victimized woman prevailing over her oppressor(s) with varying degrees of bloodshed. That last component depends largely on whether the film is made for theaters or the Lifetime Network. RESURRECTION accomplishes neither goal.

Rebecca Hall plays a single mom and successful executive with a daughter (Grace Kaufman) about to leave for college. A glimpse of a guy (Tim Roth) at a seminar sends into the first of many panic attacks. Eventually we learn that he tortured her physically and mentally 22 years earlier throughout a sadomasochistic relationship in which his debasement of her worsened until she finally left.

Fairly early on, in the film’s most compelling scene, we learn the horrors of that chapter in her life. It’s all downhill from there, as Hall’s actions become less rational, and less true to the character we met at the beginning. Initial empathy for what she suffered and how deeply the scar tissue remains dwindles with her irrational, counterproductive actions. Most egregiously, although she’s zealous about protecting her daughter from this resurfaced peril, she conceals the reason for her fears, even after telling the gruesome story to an office underling.

The casting is fine. Hall has racked up a slew of awards and nominations here and in her British homeland. Roth does low-key creepy about as well as any living actor. Writer/director Andrew Semans’ script might have worked well as a short, but dragging her ordeal out for 105 hyperbolic minutes needlessly burdens his viewers. One soon realizes there are two possible endings, but neither could have resurrected my concern for the fate of the characters.

I would have given up after about 40 minutes of these histrionics but for my obligation to complete this assignment. My computer even rejected the streaming screener, requiring multiple reloads. Those of you with freedom of choice can resist the false hopes raised by the presence of its stars and skip the movie, so something positive will result from my slog through the whole thing.

1/2 Out of 4

RESURRECTION opens in Theaters and Available On Demand on Friday, August 5, 2022