Far from the Apple Tree (2019) User Reviews

Nicely Maintained Mood of Unease

[derek-duerden · 7/10 · 20 March 2024]

Although there is very little in terms of actual violence and threat, this film has an effectively unnerving mood throughout, enhanced by the various video effects, the soundtrack, and the unclear motivations of several key characters.

Sorcha Groundsell in particular is very good in the central performance - at times gawky and uncertain, and at others seemingly measured and in command of herself and her emotions, although often heavily influenced by the last person she spoke to.

This is the kind of film that (IMHO) makes you keep watching although ultimately there's not a huge amount of plot as such.

Interesting - and signs of an interesting director.

Beautiful Strange

[lordcorneliusplum · 9/10 · 28 October 2021]

Beautiful, strange horror film concerning identity, art, mother-daughter relationships, psychedelia, old houses, video tape, C86 indie music and childhood trauma. So a teenage slasher splatterfest this ain't.

Nor is it a conventional spooky thriller - its arty and blurry and shaky and distorted, and leaves things for the viewer to work out for themselves. If you are the kind of person who is sick of all these arty horrors coming out at the moment - you know, Ben Wheatley films, Berberian Sound Studio, Mandy - well - youre gonna hate this. Best stick to those old Freddie and Jason films.

If, on the other hand, you like Suspiria, Repulsion , Performance, The Tenant, Jose Larraz, strange psychological horror and girls in 80s style hooped t shirts, then this is a good way of spending an evening

Great dreamy score by Rose Mcdowell, ex Strawberry Switchblade/ Sorrow, which really gives this a lot of class.

Mad about Maddy.

[parry_na · 8/10 · 11 June 2022]

This is directed by Grant McPhee, whose earlier 'Night Kaleidoscope' made such a virtue out of its very low budget. Although wildly different in mood and atmosphere, McPhee works his magic just as effectively for this story.

The acting - for much of the time a two hander - is excellent. Sorcha Groundsell and Victoria Liddelle are wonderful as Judith and Roberta respectively. Supporting cast is equally fine. So good is this, it didn't dawn on me until writing this review that there isn't a single male character.

Like 'Night Kaleidoscope', this film stretches the boundaries of 'horror' as we know it; in a recent interview McPhee has said how he fails to see the point of emulating the style of much bigger budgeted productions and instead prefers to extol the virtues of more modest resources - and he does this admirably. His films possess an intimate, claustrophobic often trippy sense of unease, even in a sprawling, beautiful location such as this.

The much discussed Maddy is an interesting character, deliberately thinly sketched and therefore a mystery with dark undertones. To discuss this more would ruin the build up of what is a pretty slim, but compelling, storyline.

I thoroughly enjoyed this vaguely Brontë -ish tale of melancholy and longing and eagerly await McPhee's next project - surely one of the most interesting and innovative directors of recent years. 8 out of 10.