“Keeper” is a Haunted House that Doesn’t Spook
Osgood Perkins is one of the hardest working horror directors in the business. Every time he releases a movie, he’s got another one in production. Keeper, his latest, was made during the actors’ and writers’ strikes of 2023 when his adaptation of Stephen King’s The Monkey was put on hold. Perkins seems to have never-ending energy when it comes to filmmaking, and each new film presents a new exploration of horror. Keeper is no different, and very little information about the plot was released ahead of time. All the secrecy added to the thrill of a new trip from Perkins, but perhaps it also made the expectation a little too high.
Liz (Tatiana Maslany) and Malcolm (Rossif Sutherland) have been dating for almost a year. Liz is described by her friend as a subway rat, someone who loves everything about living in a city. The noise, the grime, the crowds. Malcolm, on the other hand, enjoys escaping to his family’s secluded forest cabin. That’s where the two are heading for the weekend, and Liz notices when they arrive that there’s a total lack of privacy. There are windows everywhere with no blinds, and the only room with a lock is the bathroom. As the couple settles in, Liz begins to hear noises that could be the generic creaks and groans of a wooden cabin settling, or something more sinister.
courtesy of Neon
Maslany is a rare breed of performer. She flies under the radar in terms of fame and popularity, but once you’ve watched her perform you become desperate to see her in as much as possible. Orphan Black was her introduction to many people, and the performance(s) she put out every week of the show outpaced the full careers of some other actors. Keeper will make more people aware of Maslany, and thank goodness for that. Liz is a sweet young woman who’s hoping for the best in a new relationship. She goes from fully embracing everything that’s happening to being constantly suspicious about the world around her. Alone in a secluded cabin with a man she’s known for just a year and with no way to leave, Liz is walking an excruciating tightrope. Maslany, however, makes it appear as though she’s merely taking a stroll on a Sunday afternoon. She’s in command of the film even when Liz is not. Keeper gives Maslany ample space to breathe, to interact, to embody Liz, and what a joy that is for the viewer.
courtesy of Neon
Perkins has a great eye for the details that go into building tension. Keeper marks his sixth feature, his second this year, and what connects them all is an inverting sense of dread. Perkins makes viewers question which way is up, which is down, and who is telling the truth. Even when Perkins isn’t in the writer’s chair, as is in the case with Keeper, the impeccably built dread is let out like a sputtering balloon by a near-the-end expositional dump. Keeper’s explanation of the preceding supernatural events doesn’t live up to the world it has built. It’s borderline generic rationale for the creepy things that live in the house without any sort of commentary about the scenario the film has placed its characters in. There’s a well of horrors that could come out of a couple spending a weekend by themselves in a secluded cabin, but Keeper barely breaks the surface.
Even if Keeper doesn’t make good on the promises it sets up in the first half of the film, it’s still an utter thrill to see something as unique as this Perkins offering. In a time when people feel things are growing stale at the movies, Perkins’ work feels alive. As though there’s nowhere else in the world he, or any of his collaborators, would rather be. That sort of passion, even if it doesn’t get pulled together by the end, is admirable and exciting. Keeper is haunting, but doesn’t linger, even though it’s anchored by a powerhouse performance from Maslany.
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