Kindred is the debut feature from director Joe Marcantonio, and he also co-wrote the script alongside Jason McColgan. It’s a psychological thriller/horror starring Tamara Lawrance (The Long Song), Fiona Shaw (the Harry Potter franchise), Jack Lowden (Dunkirk), and Edward Holcroft (Kingsman: The Secret Service).
Lawrance and Holcroft play a young couple, Charlotte and Ben, planning to emigrate from the UK to Australia, a move complicated by the unexpected, yet welcome, news that Charlotte is pregnant. However when the pair visit Ben’s family estate to deliver both pieces of news to his family, tragedy strikes when Ben suffers a fatal accident. His mother, Margaret (Shaw), insists that Charlotte stay with her and her stepson Thomas (Lowden) at the family estate while expecting so that they can assist her with the birth. But when Charlotte begins experiencing strange hallucinations, and coupled with Margaret’s controlling and obsessive behaviour, she becomes increasingly suspicious about Margaret’s true intentions for her and her unborn child.
The official plot synopsis is as follows:
A psychological thriller rippling with suspense, Kindred follows vulnerable mother-to-be Charlotte (Tamara Lawrance) as she is taken in by her recently deceased boyfriend’s mother (Fiona Shaw) and her stepson (Jack Lowden), who seem increasingly obsessed with her every move. Plagued by mysterious hallucinations, Charlotte’s suspicions grow about Margaret and Thomas’ intentions for her unborn child.
Let’s take a look:
This seems like a solid psychological thriller that benefits from good performances from its main cast. Margaret clearly has her issues, and I’m assuming those are a major driver behind Ben’s desire to emigrate, meanwhile Charlotte’s behaviour is also becoming erratic as she succumbs to hallucinations and – perhaps justifiable – paranoia over Margaret’s intentions.
What do you think?
Kindred is due for release in selected theatres and via digital and on-demand on 6 November. It also stars Chloe Pirrie, Anton Lesser, Kiran Sonia Sawar, and Michael Nardone.
Last Updated: October 5, 2020
