by Shane Conto
When you think of a classic thriller like Rear Window where we are voyeurs and trying to find out if a neighbor is up to nefarious dealings, what could make it even more interesting? What if it turned out Jimmy Stewart’s character dealt with schizophrenia and he didn’t know what was real or not? That would certainly throw in some extra folds to the mystery. That basic idea is the root of Castille Landon’s new thriller, Fear of Rain. What if you have a teenage girl dealing with untreated schizophrenia who is already struggling with family drama and connecting with a young man then hears (or thinks she hears) a young girl screaming in the attic of her neighbor? Sounds pretty compelling to me!
Can actor turned writer/director Landon make the most of this premise?
There is definitely an inspired effort here. The reason the praise of Landon’s work is so hesitant is that there are serious issues in the story-telling and how the horror/thriller scenes are portrayed. Just based on the descriptions above, this film could certainly become overstuffed. You have a coming-of-age romance. You have the troubled family situation that our protagonist, Rain, deals with in relation to her parents. You have the struggles of her mental illness that she is conflicted about. Then you have this mystery at the center of the film. But does it really feel like it is the center of the film? The way all of these threads are played out, that central mystery gets muddled. Most of the plot threads get overcomplicated by the fact that Rain deals with schizophrenia. Then you have the way the tense and “suspenseful” scenes are delivered. The sound design whenever you have a figure pop up or a curtain pulled back is deafening. Deafening. I honestly couldn’t take it after the first two times… but it happened way more than two times. Instead of truly suspense tension, you get handed cheap tricks that are unsatisfying.
The storytelling may be muddled and murky but how does the story itself hold up?
That really depends on what aspect of the film you are speaking of. Does the mystery payoff? That is at least framed as the climax of the film. The questioning reality aspects are used well in the climax of the film to build strong tension. The film certainly spends plenty of time on Rain struggling with her mental health. Those scenes are some of the strong and most affecting parts of the film. The dynamic of her family is challenging, as it should be when a child is practicing self-harm and hallucinating. There are some reveals in this thread of the film that hit pretty well in the context of the story. Did I see those reveals coming? I had thoughts throughout and conjectures but it does make for a sensible and effective reveal. Then you have the love story. Is Caleb (her budding romancer, played by Israel Broussard) a strong addition to the film? He was solid but honestly could have been the easiest thread to be cut. The narrative probably would have benefited from one less story thread.
Does young leading lady, Madison Iseman, anchor this film?
She impresses yet again and shows why she is a young actress to look out for. Iseman does plenty of emotional heavy-lifting in the film and she comes to play. Do you need a scene where Iseman is on the brink of self-harm? She delivers. Do you need her to react to a disturbing hallucination? Got it. How about a tender moment with her mother? Nails it. But what about the rest of the cast? Katherine Heigl honestly feels like she doesn’t have to do too much with the scenes she has. But the father character, played by Harry Connick Jr, has plenty of hard scenes. But does he deliver? He is… fine. The film would have benefitted from a stronger veteran presence to deliver some complex emotional sequences. Ismael Broussard also brings a unique presence to the character of Caleb. Eugenie Bondurant, who portrays the suspicious neighbor, brings a strange presence to the film which works well.
Is Fear of Rain able to deliver enough positive to make this a worthwhile watch?
I think it does. Landon has plenty of ideas and themes to deliver in this film. Does she take on too much for this one narrative. Yeah… but there is enough enjoyment and elements that do work to make this one worth checking out. I felt on edge and was left guessing around every corner. That was certainly enough for me.
Grade: C+