Fabulously scary!
Baghead may not be the scariest film in the forest, but it excels in all other aspects of a frighteningly good story.
Following her father’s passing, a young woman is surprised to learn that she has inherited a spooky old tavern from him, even though they were long estranged. There is a 400-year-old witch concealed in the pub’s basement, her face obscured by an old sack. She can embody any deceased person you want to talk to, but only for a brief two minutes, and here lies the danger. People (in this case, men) will never be satisfied with such a limitation placed upon them.
With parallels to The Exorcist, Baghead shows how complex our minds can be when processing childhood trauma. Jeremy Irvine portrays a passionate young man who arrives at the pub late at night with offers of a large amount of money. He longs for the chance to speak with his late wife one more time. His first meeting with Baghead provides a captivating insight into his fear of abandonment. The allure of quick cash easily entices Iris, portrayed by Freya Allen, greed consistently changing her objectives, causing frustration for her close friend Katie (Ruby Barker) and exposing their co-dependent bond.
The film contains some convincing performances, notably Peter Mullen who plays the father and overall gives a satisfying conclusion as screenwriter Lorcan Reilly and director Alberto Corredor explore the reversal of women as victims to women as monsters and how that reflects female sexuality and identity.
Reviewed by Jo Schofield
.
