Went Up the Hill

Went Up the Hill is a meditation on how an unhappy life transcends death and continues to affect the living. This is a super low-key, atmospheric movie that affected me deeply, mostly because it touched on my own life experience. The film poses the question, "What if the pain of life doesn't end with death?"

I watched my abusive mother die a few years ago. Her wife and I were the only two people to experience this moment as she left the physical plane of existence. I had been emotionally estranged from my mom throughout my entire life and when she died, I felt nothing. Yet, somehow, even to this day, I feel a little possessed by her. The legacy a person leaves behind can manifest itself in many ways, good or bad, but when trauma is the primary component, it has the power to destroy the living if we allow it.

In Went Up the Hill, Jack (Dacre Montgomery, Stranger Things) shows up, seemingly uninvited, to his mother's funeral in New Zealand. He hasn't seen her since she left him as a young child. (Again dredging up memories of my own maternal abandonment.) He claims that Elizabeth's widow Jill (Vicky Krieps, Phantom Thread), called and invited him to attend the memorial. However, not only is Jill adamant that she never placed the call, she had no idea Elizabeth even had a son. It's clear that there's a lifetime of secrets and unhealthy relationships coming to the forefront of these characters.

Jill invites Jack to stay in the house with her so they can learn more about each other, their pasts, and unravel why they were so compartmentalized by a shared mom and wife. If it hasn't become apparent yet, there's a connection to their names, Jack and Jill, and the nursery rhyme associated with the title of the film. They are about to embark up a hill of unresolved grief and it's very possible the both could come tumbling down.

As Jack and Jill sleep, Elizabeth begins possessing each of them separately, sort of like a ghost. She inhabits one body, wakes up, and communicates with the other. There is no physical transformation and the characters use their own voices, shifting the intensity slightly and adjusting their mannerisms just enough to be unsettling.

As these nighttime interactions build and the story of Elizabeth begins to unfold, it becomes hauntingly clear that she's not here to help Jack and Jill heal, but rather to continue to be a destructive force from the grave. As with all abusive people, there's probably unresolved trauma of their own, but what if the victim allows themselves to be hurt in an attempt to prevent the abuser from hurting themselves? Again, this question had a chilling impact on me, thinking about my own suicidal mother. We want to desperately hold on to that part of the person who expressed love, no matter how small. If healing is going to happen, it must begin within ourselves.

Director Samuel Van Grinsven has crafted a quiet, beautifully photographed, mostly one-location film contrasting the gorgeous New Zealand landscape with Jill's cold, concrete home that feels like a tomb. Dacre Montgomery and Vicky Krieps sustain every scene, portraying their characters with sensitivity, love, and with an odd chemistry. It's a difficult challenge to essentially portray three characters with two actors.

Went Up the Hill is a very dialogue heavy, deliberately paced movie that will resonate with viewers who are open to, and can vibe with its dark, somewhat gothic themes and atmosphere. The entire film is about grief and trauma and there are some difficult moments of honesty to address. It all builds in intensity until the power of Elizabeth crosses into the physical realm in a thrilling and disturbing final act and finds the conclusion the story needs.

Personally, Went Up the Hill was a cathartic experience and one that will stick with me. If you like thought-provoking, indie drama-horror give this a watch. There's a lot of physical and emotional pain, but ultimately, this is a movie about healing.

8/10.

Greetings again from the darkness. In the Mother Goose nursery rhyme, Jack and Jill not only went up the hill together, they also tumbled down. This latest from writer-director Samuel Van Grinsven and co-writer Jory Anast spin a Jack and Jill yarn that's not nearly as cutesy, yet does involve some emotional tumbling ... and one creepy spirit.

Horror film aficionados are accustomed to possession-themed stories, where someone from beyond takes over the body of one still living. The twist here ... and it's a good one ... is that the spirit of Elizabeth actually (and regularly) switches between not one, but two characters who are both important to her. Elizabeth was a renowned artist who opted for a way out, leaving behind her two great loves - her wife Jill (Vicky Krieps, PHANTOM THREAD, 2017) and their stunning mountain lake home (the Southern Alps of New Zealand).

On the day of the funeral, Jack (Dacre Montgomery, very good in the upcoming WHAT WE HIDE, 2025) shows up, claiming Jill invited him by phone. It's clear Jill has no idea who he is, or that Jack is Elizabeth's only child - one given up many years ago for reasons that aren't clear until much later. Elizabeth's sister, Helen (a terrific Sarah Peirse) has kept the family secret all this time. Jill invites Jack to stay at the house, despite Helen making it obvious his presence is not appreciated.

Speaking of presence ... we never see Elizabeth, but we know she's there (and there). Jill sleeps next to the coffin, and every time she and Jack fall asleep, Elizabeth's spirit does her thing. Mood and atmosphere are key here, and everyone (including Jack, Jill, and us viewers) is confused as to what the spirit of Elizabeth is trying to accomplish. Does the spirit want Jack and Jill to have the relationship that mom and son never did? Or is the spirit focused on having her beloved wife, and possibly the long lost son as well, join her in her new locale? The goal isn't always clear, but it is always a bit creepy ... which is good for the movie.

Cinematographer Tyson Perkins likely had a blast working with the combination of skilled actors, a stunning modern house, and the geographic terrain which could be both beautiful and treacherous - although the number of 'eyeball shots' were a bit eerie. A not so minor complaint is in regard to the low-level dialogue, which was exceptionally difficult to hear at times. Still, the acting here is superb, as is the piano-based score from composer Hanan Townshend (TO THE WONDER, 2012), and kudos to a horror movie that's neither slasher, sequel, nor re-tread.

Opening in theaters on August 15, 2025.