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Separation
2021 107 min United States of America R 18+
★4.5
Horror, Mystery
Director: William Brent Bell
Trailers
Description
A young girl finds solace in her artist father and the ghost of her dead mother.
US Gross:
$4.51M
Worldwide:
$4.5M
Starring
Rupert Friend
Actor
Violet McGraw
Actor
Madeline Brewer
Actor
Awards
1 nomination total
Key opinion
Separation is widely regarded as a failed attempt to blend family drama with horror tropes, resulting in an incoherent and tedious viewing experience. Critics agree that the film struggles with a lack of internal logic and fails to balance its heavy emotional premise with its supernatural elements.
| Originality | The film suffers from a derivative script that clumsily mimics superior genre entries like The Babadook and Mama without establishing its own identity. | |
| Screenplay | The characters lack depth, motivation, and logical decision-making, making the central family conflict feel like a tedious chore rather than a compelling narrative. | |
| Production | The production design provides some eerie and effective visuals, but they are undermined by a disjointed narrative and ineffective horror set-pieces. | |
| Emotion | The attempt to frame a parental divorce as a horror backdrop feels forced and emotionally hollow, alienating the audience rather than creating tension. |