From Page to Screen, here’s the new American Thriller: Things Heard and Seen.

Elizabeth Brundage’s best-selling novel, All Things Cease to Appear, has come to life in the new American thriller film, Things Heard and Seen, co-directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. The slight tweak in the title is oddly fitting for the tale of all things heard and seen in the sprawling 18th-century home of Catherine and George Claire. The film stars Best Supporting Actress Nominee, Amanda Seyfried alongside the British drama series star, James Norton from Grandchester (2014-2019).

Uploaded by NETFLIX, Apr 2, 2021.

Shari Springer Berman, and Robert Pulcini’s experience in the film-making industry, having worked together on Academy Award Winning, American Splendour (2003) and The Nanny Diaries (2007), is boldly present across the film's two-hour run-time. The circa-1980s setting and cinematography are impeccably accurate, adding to the ghostly ambience. As gen-z would say, it's giving the same tone and feels as Netflix’s hit series’, The Haunting of Hill House (2018) and The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020).

The directors are quick to reveal the good and evil, or catastrophic side of a young marriage between Catherine and George Claire, which is built on secrets and lies, served with a side of horror. The newlyweds move from their small Manhattan apartment to a lush, peculiar countryside settlement, where nosy neighbours and small-town talk is routine, sets the perfect scene for an Amityville-like revamp and follows a winding spiral of unsolved murders, haunted houses, séances, and sinful intentions.

Image sourced from NETFLIX, Things Heard and Seen (2021)

With flickering lights, timeworn bibles, and a persistent smell of gas, the film is nothing short of a classic horror cliché. Yet, its intriguing plot keeps the audience guessing as the dark and unsettling secrets of each character unfold, from love affairs with a teenage lawn boy to cold-blooded murder.

As supernatural occurrences become more intriguing, Stranger Things Star, Natalie Dryer and Oscar-winning F. Murray Abraham begin to explore the strange and shadowy circumstances of Catherine (Amanda Seyfried) and how her charming and bookishly handsome husband landed his job at the prestigious Tony Saginaw College.

There’s a perfect balance of love and hate for each character, and after watching the grime and chilling events unfold, the audience is left wanting to know more. The dramatic irony throughout the film is without fault, leaving the viewers with a constant urge to transgress into the film's universe.

Image’s sourced from NETFLIX, Things Heard and Seen (2021)

If one thing is for sure, the film is incredibly thought-provoking and far-flung from cheap jump scares and frights. A lot of psychological and spiritual study has contributed to the making of this film as it flawlessly dives into several emotional and triggering themes. It is a compliment to some of the greatest horror/thriller films like David Fincher’s, Zodiac (2007), and reaches a higher level of entertainment that leaves you feeling somewhat wiser and more spiritually connected.

Overall, 4/5 stars.

Things Heard & Seen starring Amanda Seyfried | Official Trailer | NetflixWatch

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