Plot
American horror novelist Ohm Bauman is preparing to write the last few chapters of the third book in his trilogy when he takes a holiday to Ireland in order to scatter the ashes of his late parents.
There, he finds the locals not quite to his taste (and he is not to theirs), and following the scattering, attempts suicide – only to be saved at the last second.
Weeks later when he is released from hospital, he discovers the woman who saved him has been missing for some time, and vows to find out what happened to her, when the locals seem disinterested.
Direction
Directed by Damian McCarthy (whose work I have not come across yet).
It has a great character type feel to it, and feels like it is paying homage to other films in this genre. I specifically loved the feel and look of the hotel Ohm stays at. It has both a comfort and sinister feel to it all at the same time.
Cast
Adam Scott plays Ohm, and really sells the egocentric American within the Irish town. I mostly know him from his comedic work, but he really sells the horror/thriller element well.
Other cast include Peter Coonan as Mal, who runs the hotel he is staying at, Florence Ordesh as Fiona, the hotel bartender who saves Ohm’s life and has recently gone missing, Will O’Connell plays Alby the bellhop, and David Wilmott, as Jerry – the local homeless man who assists Ohm in helping find Fiona.
Breakdown
The film starts with some characters who live in the head of writer Ohm Bauman – and throughout the film we get to see snippets of a father and son’s journey in a desert (and it is actually quite intriguing!!)
We meet Ohm. He is a seemingly lonely individual, who decides to head to Ireland to scatter the ashes of his late parents, as they honeymooned there. His mother died dramatically in his youth, something that comes up in a big way later in the film.
He doesn’t make best friends with the locals from the get go, questioning bluntly to one patron why kill a wild goat, and being abrasive towards the hotel owner because of a story he is telling of the local witch that haunts the area. He even physically assaults the bellhop Alby who is genuinely impressed by having a celebrity in the hotel, whose only crime is telling Ohm of his encounter with the witch, and asking Ohm to read his novel.
He sparks up a cordial conversation with Fiona, the bartender who tells him where the photo of his mother was taken, who shows genuine sympathy when Ohm tells her that his mother passed in a home robbery in his youth. After scattering their ashes, Ohm attempts suicide and is cut down by Fiona (and Alby) – and spends several weeks in hospital as a result. Once released, he discovers that Fiona went missing days after the incident – and feeling a sense of guilt – wants to investigate.
Believing that she might be in the hotel’s honeymoon suite (much to the annoyance and dismissal of Mal) – Ohm plans on sneaking into the suite (as it was also where his parents honeymooned many years ago).
The story shifts focus here, and Ohm becomes completely changed. He still has some of his “American arrogance” but his genuine concern is a change of pace, and it makes you really root for him, rather than… not.
There is also a more “natural” villain here too, when we discover where Fiona is, and why. I really liked where the plot went here, and wish it got here sooner, and lasted longer. The scenes of Ohm trapped in the hotel room (by Fiona’s killer – RIP Fiona) reminded me of 1408.
You almost forget about the ‘Supernatural’ Element until the killer is dragged off by the witch to who knows where’ in the final arc. He gets what’s coming to him considering his actions (poor Jerry too).
The supernatural element is also extended with Ohm’s own backstory, in which he accidentally shot his mother – and killed her (and she is who has been haunting him throughout the film).
There are some genuinely good jump scare scenes which got me. I also loved the clear references/homages to several of Stephen King’s works (1408 and The Shining are clear examples).
Overall
A tad overlong, and some pacing issues don’t help. I thought there was some real ups in the back half – especially when Ohm finds himself stuck in the hotel.
A good balance between the supernatural vs natural elements too, I probably would have liked to see more in the supernatural than anything.
Still a recommend.
3.5/5
