Directed by Amy Seimetz
Starring: Kate Lyn Shell, Olivia Dudley, Jane Adams & Chris Messina
8/10 ?
It’s been said before, ideas can act like viruses. An idea can spread from one person to another and take hold in that host only to use them as a conduit to spread further and further. There’s not much in question as to what She Dies Tomorrow is about, but there is plenty to ponder on after the fact, and that’s something that should not be overlooked. Much like the idea that the main character will die “tomorrow”, this film lodged itself in my mind and every so often I think about it and its fairly casual take on an existential nightmare of a plot. What if you knew you would be met with a terrible fate and by talking about it, spread it to others? Scary, no? I’d say yes.
The issues I saw with this film were not in the plot or performances but more in the way the film progresses. It takes a very long time to get where it needs to spark interest in audience members. And from the relatively low IMDB score, one can assume it didn’t win most folks back.
To me, this is a fascinating idea for a film. Spreading a horrific feeling simply by speaking into existence. Coupled with the state that the world is in now, where real viruses and infectious ideas alike are sweeping through populations seemingly like never before. It’s a scary world full of scary feelings that, if not properly spoken about and dealt with, only seem to pull others down into the proverbial “funk”.
While this film takes a very hands off approach with these obviously heavy ideas, I think it is generally successful in getting its point across. There are some stumbles, some sequencing could be better, some dialogue could be a bit more informative, but the powerful performances by the entire cast keep the film afloat along with some very interesting cinematography and use of color.
The confusion of this film is supposed to lead to an uneasy feeling of horror, but with the aforementioned long, slow opening, it makes it a bit more difficult to connect with the drama and therefore has led to a reputation of being “overhyped”. A critical darling in terms of filmmaking but lost on the general audience.
I encourage those who are interested to see this film. It’s at least a very beautiful thought experiment concerning a lot of all too familiar issues. At its best, She Dies Tomorrow is a powerful meditation on a less-explored side of horror as well as an excellent arthouse film with a positive message hidden in its cryptic malaise.
Read our previous film reviews here
