CinemaSerf

6.0/10

Jan 15, 2024

"Joy" (Max Eigenmann) is struggling to find work and bring up her young daughter "Grace" (Jaeden Paige Boadilla) in a Britain where she has no legal status. That sends her down the agency cleaning route where she arrives at the large home of "Katherine" (Leanne Best) who is looking after her bedridden elderly uncle "Garrett" (David Hayman). Now her new employer knows nothing of the daughter, even though her's is a live-in appointment. It's only when "Katherine" has to go away for a weekend leaving the elderly man - and his medication - in her care, that "Grace" can be herself a bit more and we start to realise that there's something fishy going on. Indeed, a mishap with the pills starts to enliven this hitherto husk of a man and we soon start to wonder if "Katherine" isn't up to no good. The enigmatic "Garrett" is clearly no saint either, and though he befriends the curious and friendly "Grace" with hot chocolate, it's increasingly clear that he too has an agenda - especially when her mother is rounded up by immigration officials. Most of this film is actually unremarkable, but the last half hour or so does liven it up a little as all of the characters start to come into play and the story begins to pick up some pace. Hayman delivers quite well, keeping us guessing for a while about the true nature of his character, but the rest of the acting and the writing are neither here nor there and there is much too much preamble. The denouement reminded me a little of something Edgar Wright might have delivered, but otherwise it's not really much more than an OK watch.

The struggle to become a citizen is where we start our film journey, which must be a true hardship on anyone seeking a new life, either for themselves or a family. So many treacherous things are coming to light. It appears money truly does corrupt the soul of appears. This film is driving me all the wrong ways, so I guess it's doing its job with the actor's portrayal of such heinous individuals. The manipulation is so subtle and yet so powerfully wicked, finding it hard to comprehend how such vile behavior is considered to be deemed as acceptable to get what it is you desire.