Steven Soderbergh's film 'Presence,' with a screenplay by David Koepp, unfolds in a single haunted family home through the disembodied perspective of a handheld camera. It captures the characters' lives and interactions while hinting at underlying emotional turmoil, especially through the strained family dynamics of Chris, Rebecca, and their children. While the film showcases clever storytelling and intimate performances, it falters with occasional overt supernatural elements that undermine its subtlety. The ghost may symbolize the family's unresolved issues and dysfunctions, creating a layered narrative that goes beyond traditional horror tropes.
Presence is conceived on elegant and economically spare lines, dialogue scenes are presented blankly, shot mostly from a distance, interspersed with blackouts; it is well-acted, disciplined, and intimate as a play.
The ghost can be read as a metaphorical expression of the family's own terrible unhappiness and dysfunction, highlighting how personal issues can manifest in supernatural ways.
Collection
[
|
...
]