Category: Thriller

Synopsis

Kate Andrews (Corina Jayne) and Chris Sherbourne (Gary Cross) have had a rocky relationship lately. She's been plagued by hallucinations and past trauma, which has driven Chris upset, trying to deal with her condition. Her only source of comfort is her psychiatrist, Ama Mamushi (Jemma Thompson), though her methods are questionable. She tells Kate that the best way to end the strain in the relationship is to kill Chris. Things only worsen after an incident with Chris's father, Len (Stephen Atkins), which leads to Kate killing him. With her mental state already deteriorating, she tries to help Chris celebrate his birthday despite the tension between them. Unfortunately, her lack of medication due to Chris's abuse makes her hallucinate and question reality all around her. Is there any hope for these two, or is it already too late for them?

Review

Beyond Mamushi is a fascinating take on mental illness and domestic abuse, wrapped in a supernatural story. These subjects are often hard to tackle due to their sensitive nature, but this short explores them perfectly. It's done in a way that feels realistic and relatable rather than being so forced that it feels unintentionally comedic. What helps is that newcomer Corina Jayne gives an outstanding performance that's both sympathetic and haunting. You get the sense that this woman has been through tons of abuse and needs serious mental help. Gary Cross also excels as Kate's abusive husband, instantly hateable for his controlling nature, though not without some sympathy. We see a flashback of them happy together, indicating that there was a time when they were in love. While his behavior is unjustifiable, you wonder if the strain of helping his mentally ill wife has worn him down.

Given the short film's limited budget, the production value and camera work are better than expected. Cinematographer Nicolai Kornum creates a dark, foreboding atmosphere with minimal lighting and a muted color palette. The quick-cut editing that mixes in jarring imagery adds to the sense of disorientation Kate feels throughout. Having a small cast and limited locations gives the short an isolated, claustrophobic feel that works for the material. Admittedly, there are times when the budgetary limitations show, but not enough to ruin the film. For one, some of the gore effects feel amateurish and thrown together, which lessens the impact. Also, despite the 49-minute runtime, some parts feel unnecessarily long, though that could be due to the slow pacing. While not a slight against the film, some audiences might be put off by the lack of levity. Watching this can be a rough experience if you're unprepared.

Still, even with those flaws, this is still an impressive feat of filmmaking that should be commended. The filmmakers were able to take a serious subject and add a supernatural twist that feels natural. It helps that the cast all do an excellent job, and I'm excited to see what they do next. I like that the movie doesn't fully explain things like the leads' relationship or what's real and what isn't. They could've fleshed these concepts out into a feature-length film, but that would've diluted their impact. Oftentimes, the less we know about what's going on, the better the experience. If you're looking for something short and sweet that delivers on a chilling atmosphere, check it out. Overall, Beyond Mamushi is a haunting examination of abuse and mental health with a solid cast and great direction.

Beyond Mamushi will be playing on Amazon Prime later this year.

Special thanks to M. W. Daniels for providing a screener copy. Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyond_mamushi_film/.