By Melissa Copeland
In the psychological horror film, Gerald’s Game, Gerald Burlingame (Bruce Greenwood) and his wife Jessie (Carla Gugino) take a romantic trip to a cabin in a remote part of Alabama in hopes of saving their broken marriage.
In attempts to liven up the pair’s sex life, Gerald decides he would like to play a game with his wife and handcuffs her to the bedposts.
He then pops a couple Viagra pills which leads to an untimely heart attack, leaving his wife in quite the predicament. Though the film started off with an easily predictable scene, it did not in any way detract from the overall twist and turns the plot continued to take.
With the death of Jessie’s husband only 15 minutes into the film, you’re left to wonder how a 103 minute film could possibly hold your attention when the young widow can barely move.
Escape seems impossible and all she is left with is her own thoughts and an increasingly aggressive stray dog, whose presence leads to a couple of very cringe- worthy scenes.
Though Gerald’s death occurs early on in the film, Greenwood’s presence is still strong throughout as his character continues to plague the widow’s thoughts.
Gerald’s continued presence causes an added layer of psychological torture by keeping a strong hold on the control he has over Jessie.
The film did not rely jump scares and cheap scare tactics, a common convention of the genre.
The real horror was the very realistic touch of the psychological torment throughout the film. This is almost relatable since one may be asking what they would do if left in a similar situation, just how long would your decent into madness take?
The events leading up to Jessie’s stranding are all so mundane, it could happen to anyone.
Though all actors in the film added to the film with their own stunning performances, Gugino’s portrayal of Jessie re- ally shined throughout the movie.
Between the smart and enticing dialogue and Gugino’s performance, you will be left glued to the edge of your seat.
Gerald’s Game was directed by Mike Flanagan and co-written by Jeff Howard and Flanagan. The film is based on the 1992 novel by Stephen King of the same name. The film was released on September 29, 2017 with a TV-MA rating. The film is available on Netflix.
Is Jessie’s escape possible or is her death simply inevitable?