Black History Month: “Kindred” Movie Review

Kindred
Rated R, Directed by Joe Mercantonio

Synopsis via Letterboxd: When her boyfriend Ben suddenly dies in an accident, mother-to-be Charlotte collapses upon receiving the news. She wakes up in Ben’s family home, a crumbling old manor house in the middle of nowhere with Ben’s overbearing mother and his controlling stepbrother who are determined to care for her. Grief-stricken and increasingly haunted by visions possibly brought on by the pregnancy, Charlotte begins to doubt the family’s intentions and her suspicions grow that they may be trying to control her and her unborn baby. 

TW: Gaslighting, Graphic Violence, Torture, Pregnancy, Abortion/Miscarriage Topics, Kidnapping, Drugging without Consent, Predatory Men, Abusive Families, Manipulative Men, Medical Trauma, Self Harm, Oppression of Black Women, Babies in Peril, Post Partum Depression/Peri Natal Depression Topics, Childbirth, Vomiting, Denial of Medical Care, Mental Illness/Psychiatric care, Hallucinations, Car Accidents, Blood

In an effort to remain as unbiased as possible, I really avoided reading too much about this one since I'd seen a lot of polarizing things about it. And in case you've got it in your queue thanks to the deceiving poster and title, I'd just like to inform you that it has absolutely nothing to do with Octavia Butler's novel by the same name. I'll be quite forthcoming that this is probably one of my least favourable reviews in a while. Turns out, I probably should've spoiled the vibe for myself, and picked something else to watch instead as this was not for me. (No shame, though, if you read the synopsis, watch the trailer, and then decide it is for you; more power to you and I'm glad if anyone does like it, because everyone deserves joy!! Like what you like!!) 

I'm a little tired of watching movies in which marginalized people suffer at the hands of men. I'm also tired of movies written by men in which the women are beaten, brutalized, gaslit, tortured or whatever else. I'm extremely tired of movies by white men which do all of the above. I don't think most women will be the target audience for this, but I'm sure a lot of men will latch on and call this "cerebral" and "artistic."

I'm also E X H A U S T E D by the "I don't want kids" narrative in the media which then FORCES the woman to ~~change their mind~~ and suddenly embrace it, yada yada, by whatever internal or external force. It's really, really okay for a woman or woman film character TO NOT WANT CHILDREN and for you to NOT MAKE HER HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. And idk please fucking find a new narrative other than torturing women with child-bearing, pregnancy, and child-rearing and related subtext. I'm over it. Most of us women are over it. Cis-Men need new storylines; leave this one the fuck alone.

Anyway, the cast has done their absolute best with what they were given. The lead actress, Tamara Lawrance, is absolutely heart wrenching to watch, and she gives it her utmost. It is truly maddening to watch her be gaslit and manipulated time and time again, and betrayed by those she's trusted. I'm so upset with how they treated this character, and she truly deserves better. All of the stars go to her and her co-star Fiona Shaw, because they really do pour their passion and emotion into these damaged, traumatized women. It's hard not to empathize with them as you roll along, but it's also one of the more uncomfortable, disturbing elements of the film. I don't want to feel a visceral relatability with these women; I'm already fatigued in reality by men harming women, and I am really not in the mood for watching male writers create fictional women to hurt with fictional men. It's exhausting in every sense of the word!

Their male co-star did play his role well, if I'm being honest, but I'm also beleaguered by seeing that sort of character as well! I don't much care what abuses the white male character has suffered in their backstory. I especially don't want to have a shred of empathy for a "broken man" with no chance of redemption and only a further downslide. It's tiresome. It's played out. It's repetitive. Stop trying to make me empathize with gross men, and for God sakes stop trying to humanize them. Sometimes people are terrible for no reason at all except they just are, and truth be told? I'd rather have that sort of character than trauma related ones. Give us something fresh.

Visually it's well-directed and has nice cinematography. There are some truly haunting, depressing shots in this. The set-design is lovely and despite the overwhelmingly large house, it feels truly claustrophobic thanks to the scene composition and aesthetics. It's a grand, sprawling mansion with high ceilings and small doorways and bedrooms. It feels like a labyrinth one may just never find their way out of. (Coincidentally that's how I felt about this movie, long, winding, twisty, and with no end in sight)

Anyway, you can find much better to watch than this movie. I do wish to add that I really hope to see more of Tamara Lawrance's work in the future, because she's excellent!! May she find less terrible scripts to work with, and ones that let her unleash her powerhouse acting skills in more creative and encouraging ways.

3 Stars for the women and the aesthetics, but 1.5 stars for the movie overall.

Movie review by Ellen Avigliano

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