Haunted house movies are only matched by demon possession films in sheer quantity, so how about one that combines elements of both with a more familial touch? Separation is the latest from director William Brent Bell, best known for The Devil Inside, The Boy and its sequel Brahms: The Boy II, and like those latter films, this horror has the well-being of a child at its center.
For a kid, having two parents constantly fighting with one another can be the scariest thing in the world. But what happens when one of those parents dies, and yet the feuding continues? That’s what appears to be happening here, as something evil appears to be filling in the space where one parent used to be…taking on the form of creepy puppets.
The film stars Mamie Gummer, Rupert Friend, Madeline Brewer, Bill Cox, Simon Quarterman, and Violet McGraw.
Separation hits theaters on April 30th.
8-year-old Jenny (Violet McGraw) is constantly caught in the middle of the feuding between her lawyer mother Maggie (Mamie Gummer) and artist father Jeff (Rupert Friend). She leads a lonely but imaginative life, surrounded by puppets called “Grisly Kin”, which are based on the works of her father. When Maggie is tragically killed in a hit-and-run, Jeff and Jenny try to piece together a new life. But when Maggie’s father (Brian Cox) sues for custody, and babysitter Samantha (Madeline Brewer) tries to be the new woman of the house, life in their Brooklyn townhome takes a dark turn. The puppets and frightening characters come to life and Jenny is the only person who can see them. When the motives of the ghoulish creatures become clear, the lives of everyone are put very much in jeopardy.
