by Shane Conto
What is the best kind of film to watch when you are stuck in quarantine all alone and devoid of human contact? Is it an uplifting and funny comedy to bring up your spirits? What about an other-worldly adventure that you can escape into? Amy Seimetz has the answer with her new thriller, She Dies Tomorrow. She knows you want to experience a film that will make you fear isolation and show the terrors of being lost in your own head. This is getting too heavy isn’t it? True…but Seimetz delivers an effect and engrossing atmospheric thriller that will sit in your brain and ruminate for days to come. So is it worth it?
The stage is set when we are introduced to Amy….and she is going to die tomorrow.
How does Amy know this? What are the creepy lights that overcome her? What was the “push” that got her into this state? Just you wait, because you just might get some of those answers. Not since It Follows have audiences been succumbed to such a contagious fright (all the more unnerving during a global pandemic). Just a mention of impending death can spread this thought to others…and now they are infected. When this bug sets in their heads, emotion pours from them as they get lost in their own dread and all their other nature urges. She Dies Tomorrow drops you into this paranoia without much direction at first. Seimetz allows her lead actress, Kate Lyn Sheil, and atmospheric direction to set a foreboding mood.
The first act of the film will either grab you or it won’t, which honestly may gauge if this film is for you.
Seimetz settles into the quieter and subtler build of dread. But when we are introduced to Amy’s (our protagonist) friend after a fateful phone call, the big picture comes into light.
What will really grab the audience and keep them grounded in this strange and contemplative film is the raw and emotional performance of its surprisingly diverse cast. Kate Lyn Sheil delivers most of her lines with a shallow voice that feels devoid of joy. This fear of death settles in and is portrayed so well throughout the film. Sheil is challenged in particular shots where we see her in an extreme close up and all the audience gets are her emotions. We feel the fear, paranoia, and strain that she is experiencing. Jane Adams, who portrays her friend and first “victim”, is also able to portray these same emotions well. From a story perspective, this can get repetitive as each scene is met by another or group of others who fall under this paranoia. But from an acting perspective, we get to see a range of performers deliver some raw and vulnerable emotions.
You might even be surprised by some of the recognizable faces you may see along the way.
One of the most alienating aspects of She Dies Tomorrow is that the “story” can get repetitive and the film is really methodical in its execution. You may feel unsatisfied from a traditional standpoint if you go in wanting an enthralling plot. This film does not give you that. What it does deliver is a moving and affecting experience of timely themes. We can relate the feeling of being lost in our own thoughts with no one to reach out to. Unfortunately, we all know the feeling of paranoia as we avoid an unwanted infection. By the end, She Dies Tomorrow has taken you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. You may not get all of the answers you want or a structured story, but you will get an unforgettable film experience from the comfort of your own home.
Honestly, watching this at home during these times may lead to an even more poignant experience…for better or worse.
Grade: B