A Mixed Bag: 'Seen and Heard' Falls Flat

Hello everyone, and thanks for tuning in!

I recently had the chance to watch the 2021 film 'Seen and Heard', a production from the US that blends drama, fantasy, mystery, and thriller genres. Unfortunately, after watching it, I'm still trying to figure out what genre it actually belongs to, as it felt like a weak attempt at a mystery or a detective story.

The film is based on a book by Elizabeth Brundage, and I was pleasantly surprised by how concise the movie was compared to the book. However, as often happens, things turned out to be much simpler than I'd expected.

Let's talk about the good and the bad of this film. I'll start with the good stuff:

The atmosphere and the actual filming - it's pretty decent and visually appealing. The quality of the shoot is quite good, and it's a pleasure to watch the atmosphere and decorations and all that.Amanda Seyfried and James Norton (playing Mrs. Katherine and Mr. George Cleary) did a great job and really put in the effort to convey the emotional range between a husband and wife. Plus, they've got some nice classic bickering scenes when everything's going downhill in the family. Fans of these actors will be pleased with their performance.The trailer is actually better than the film itself.However, there are some major issues with the film that really let me down:

One thing that really let me down was the lack of mystery – it's almost nonexistent. I mean, there are some vague hints and hints at supernatural stuff, but it's all pretty underdeveloped and doesn't really add much to the story. The whole 'otherworldly' theme feels forced, like it's been awkwardly inserted into the plot. To be honest, it's pretty obvious what's going on before the supposedly 'mysterious' events even unfold. And when the supernatural elements do kick in, it all feels a bit contrived and ends up being just a domestic drama. I mean, who wouldn't expect a woman married to a real-life psychopath to have some dark secrets? The whole thing starts to unravel long before the new house even comes into play.This film reminded me of a twisted mix of many others I've seen before – some episodes and plotlines that started strong but fizzled out. Honestly, there are plenty of other movies that popped into my head while watching this one.

I found myself wondering which plot threads would take center stage and how the conflict would unfold. Would it be the husband's change of heart or the supernatural elements? Or maybe the problems started way before the mystery kicked in? The interaction between the spirit and the person was another thing that left me curious, but unfortunately, none of these key themes got any real development. Nothing took precedence, and the whole story ended up feeling disjointed and unfulfilling.

I've got to say, even as a thriller, the film fell flat. You could've made a real thriller out of Katherine's relationship with her psycho husband. We've seen a million movies like this, but the topic's always a solid one in thrillers - it's what makes them so enjoyable. But the creators phoned it in, and even the twisty ending didn't leave me breathless. They mixed all the elements together so poorly, the result was a half-baked thriller, a half-baked horror, and a half-baked mystery. It was just all over the place.

I've got to say, the pacing is almost laughably slow - we're talking nearly two hours of build-up, and that's just not what you want in a horror movie. I mean, it's not like they're trying to be subtle or anything, but the problem is that it's just too much. The scares are few and far between, and when they do happen, they're more annoying than terrifying. And don't even get me started on the plot twists - they're about as surprising as a sunrise. It's all just a big mess, and I'm not sure what the point of it all is. Is it supposed to be some kind of mystic horror thing, or is it just a tragic tale of a woman who's lost her grip on reality? Either way, it's just not that interesting.

I ended up giving this movie two or three stars at best. Yeah, there's plenty of interesting details and plot twists, but unfortunately, they just didn't get the development they deserved. It's a shame it didn't turn out to be a decent thriller, at least based on the complex relationships between the main characters - and it wasn't a compelling horror or detective story either. It felt like they missed the mark and there was a weird disconnect. I did appreciate the overall atmosphere and the acting was solid. It's definitely worth a watch, but I didn't leave feeling blown away or eager to see it again.

Wishing you all the best, warmth, and positivity!