It’s unfortunate how, especially when it comes tohorrormovies, some of the best projects have years go by before they’re actually appreciated by audiences. From cult classics to ingenious allegories, so many films have the potential to impact thousands yet are seen by so few due to issues like bad marketing — or, in the case ofRaging Grace, confusingstreamingsites. Directed byParis Zarcilla, it follows a Filipina immigrant struggling to make a life for her daughter in the UK, taking on random roles that barely pay her enough to survive before finding a jobthat seems like the answer to all of her problems.
This potential miracle is actually the beginning of this plot’s terror, with things like haunting dreams, preserved corpses and, scariest of all, the horrific treatment faced by undocumented workers, being used to unnerve audiences. It’s unfortunate that so few people have seen it, with things like a stunted U.S. release andParamount Plusadd-ons making it harder than it should be for viewers to hear all that this petrifying allegory has to say. Through its nonstop dread, it portrays the often disturbing experience ofliving in a world where one person’s cruelty can destroy everything you’ve worked for, and it’s because of this effective (and deeply resonant) fear thatRaging Graceis a must-watch for horror fans today.
WhileRaging Gracegoes to some truly terrifying places, the film begins with a situation many people know all too well: a parent just trying to give their child the best life they can. The parent in question is Joy (Max Eigenmann), a struggling mother who has emigrated from the Philippines with her daughter, Grace (Jaeden Paige Boadilla),and has spent months taking on menial jobs in an attempt to support them. These roles are taken on with a sense of fearful worry, as her undocumented status means not only that some people don’t feel the need to pay her much, but that if anyone discovers her secret — or if they decide they just don’t like her —everything she’s worked so hard for will be snatched away.Because of this constant unease, she is elated when the mysterious Katherine (Leanne Best) offers her the role as caretaker for the ailing Mr. Garrett (David Hayman) and his run-down house, with the increased pay and lodging seeming like exactly what Joy has been looking for….but then she starts having nightmares. Horrific scenes of bugs crawling from her employer’s mouths that, when paired with Joy stumbling on Katherine drugging the old man and a room with a mummified corpse, make it clear that what started as a miracle could be what tears this family apart.
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The thriller also stars Miranda Otto and hits theaters in November.
When it comes to superficial fear,Raging Gracethrives; the film establishes an endless sense of unease through its even pacing and great score, punctuating this subliminal terror with twisted moments of anger and body horror. Yet while this is definitely scary, it’s how the movie portrays the way that people like Grace and Joy are treated that makes it such a disturbing watch. Viewers get special insight into the daily anxiety of Joy’s experience, of how the mother is forced to juggle jobs and her daughter’s wellbeing with the knowledge that one upset employer could destroy their lives in this country. So it is understandable why she stays caring for Mr. Garrett as long as she does, as while there’s definitely something wrong, it offers a kind of dangerous refuge away from the eyes of a society ready to target them for simply trying to exist.The immigrant experience can be a beautiful thing,but the film spotlights the terrors of governments who view humans from other countries as lesserand the twisted individuals who carry that sick sentiment into their daily lives.Luckily, the film also embodies hope, as the bond between Grace and Joy, and the bittersweet ending, show that love persists even in the face of horrors like whatRaging Gracehas in store.
‘Raging Grace’ Is About So Much More Than Rage
WhileRaging Graceis a chilling allegory throughout, that doesn’t mean viewers looking to be scared will be disappointed. It offers many moments of terror in its metaphor, with scenes like Joy facing off with the “spirits” of the old house chilling viewers in a quiet way they may not be used to.It’s how the movie utilizes these scares that makes it so impactful,placing them alongside scenes of people speaking about Joy as though she were an object, to stress that horror takes on many forms —including the way many undocumented people are treated daily. This allows it to become an illuminating, shockingly uplifting story, as this narrative makes it clear that Joy will never bow to this hatred for the sake of herself, her daughter, and the countless others like them. It uses the scares of this genre to spotlight real lessons (something horror has always been used for) and it’s about time more people were able to watch it and learn.
Raging Graceis available to stream on Paramount Plus in the U.S.
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Raging Grace
