Words

Hannah Strong

@thethirdhan

Possessor – first look review

Brandon Cronenberg sets late-capitalism in his crosshairs in this effective – and very gory – social horror.

Brandon Cronenberg’s 2012 debut, Antiviral, was a stylish body horror about America’s obsession with celebrity. Now he’s flexing his filmmaking muscles again with a cautionary tale about where the ills of capitalism might lead us. There’s always a strong impulse among critics to compare Cronenberg Jr to his father, but Possessor proves that Brandon is more than capable of standing on his own two feet as an artist.

Andrea Riseborough stars as Tasya Vos, an agent for a company that specialises in carrying out assassinations by inserting the consciousness of their agents into unwitting perpetrators. After receiving a new contract from her boss Girder (Jennifer Jason Leigh), she enters the body of Colin (Christopher Abbott) with instructions to kill his fiancé and would-be father-in-law so that a third party can collect a sizeable payday. Tasya doesn’t ask too many questions; she’s exceptionally good at her job, and indeed seems more interested in her unusual occupation that her estranged husband or young son.

Naturally, inhabiting another’s body comes with complications, and the line between Tasya and Colin becomes increasingly blurred as their separate consciousnesses fight for control over one vessel. Images of visceral and bloody horror are sparing but incredibly effective, while Riseborough and Abbott both give engrossing performances. There’s a glibness to the script which underlines Cronenberg’s point – increasingly it feels as though we’re moving toward a society where everything has a price, even another person’s autonomy.

Although it could stand to shave a few minutes off its runtime, Possessor benefits from a fascinating premise and exceptional cast. Exploring themes of identity, morality and gendered acts of violence, the film lingers in the mind long after the closing credits, the gore impossible to shake once it’s in your head.

Published 29 Jan 2020

Tags: Andrea Riseborough Brandon Cronenberg Jennifer Jason Leigh Sundance Film Festival Tuppence Middleton

Suggested For You

Dick Johnson Is Dead – first look review

By Brianna Zigler

Filmmaker Kirsten Johnson crafts a comedic elegy to her deteriorating but still very alive father.

How David Cronenberg’s Crash helped me overcome my fear of driving

By Brian Quinn

Following a traumatic childhood accident, this psychosexual oddity empowered me to take back control.

Promising Young Women – first look review

By Hannah Strong

Carey Mulligan is on blistering form in Emerald Fennell’s darkly comic, provocative debut feature.

Little White Lies Logo

About Little White Lies

Little White Lies was established in 2005 as a bi-monthly print magazine committed to championing great movies and the talented people who make them. Combining cutting-edge design, illustration and journalism, we’ve been described as being “at the vanguard of the independent publishing movement.” Our reviews feature a unique tripartite ranking system that captures the different aspects of the movie-going experience. We believe in Truth & Movies.

Editorial

Design