Esme, My Love

Esme, My Love, a slow burn thriller punctuated by an engrossing musical score. The quiet rural setting provided stark contrast to the mysterious events developing in the woods within. The landscapes and woods were beautifully captured by the outstanding cinematography.

The film was beautiful. The acting was well done. I enjoyed the performances of both actresses, they were great.

But as a whole? Pointless. What a WASTE of time. Seemed like an excuse to cut a bunch of pretty nature shots together, with a handful of "scary" jump shots (that are NEVER truly explained or explored), and no plot.

I guess if you're really into artsy films that care more about cinematography than plot, you might enjoy this snooze fest.

I really wish it was explained why the daughter kept calling the mother Hannah. For the longest time I thought she'd been kidnapped. For all I know, that IS what happened. But this movie has no closure. No answers to any questions the viewer has. I wish I'd selected almost any other movie to watch instead.

This is a small budjet art movie, with two actors. Actors are ok and movie looks ok. It starts ok. But the writing and editing is really bad. And it does not turn good.

Nothing is explaned, nothing makes sence and endings is a big "wtf" to your face.

Movie feels like it is a compilation of shoots that was cut together night before release.

They tryed to give this one a deeper meaning. But it is so boring, bland and badly made that it is lost in the process.

This has been marked as horror. Only horror was wasting 1h 42min of my life to this "movie". If you enjoy art movies and dont care about plots this might be your movie. But as a horror movie fan i warn you. Stay away from this "10/10" movie.

Beautifully photographed film! The scenes were begun and ended very well by visuals that immerse the viewer in the world of the film. Also, I liked the way the Cinematographer racked focus to obtain an artful, immersive effect and to move the story of the film.

Performances were very involving! The Actors created great tension between their characters when it was necessary to do so. Stacey Weckstein was alternately affectionate and threatening as the mother, and very convincing both ways! Audrey Grace Marshall was amazing! How do you get a very young actress like that to perform so convincingly?

The Writing was outstanding! This is the type of film that could easily have become monotonous, but the writer made the courageous choice to raise the stakes by something the mom does mid-way through the film. I won't spoil it.

The Director took the time, and made the careful choices, to create the world of the film. And the actors were obviously well-instructed. Good film!

ESME, MY LOVE is the kind of cinematic experience that feels so immersive, you forget you are watching a film. As a consumer, I walked through the woods with this woman and her daughter and felt every pine needle underfoot, the cold dirt between my fingers and the breeze against my skin as we began this adventure together.

In short, this is the story of a woman who survived the horrific, graphic death of her sister in childhood, with the implication that the child was made to suffer; the family knows of this genetic illness and are powerless to stop it. In a desperate attempt to avoid the same fate for her daughter, her rational mind takes a back seat to the idea that connecting with her daughter on the family's abandoned wooded estate will perhaps create some sort of miracle cure? But the question of her actual intent shines in the blade she carries and the lake waters that they precariously traverse. Why are they *really* there? Is constantly on your mind.

Anyone who has experienced the grief of losing a close family member or friend knows that the feelings are confusing. This film definitely nails that aspect of the grief spiral as the mother's constant, cryptic turns of emotion play out. Her daughter ends up experiencing her own grief spiral as she is forced to unwrap the mystery of this trip, leading to an intense and abrupt development of maturity and emotional sobriety.

I have to give props to the technical aspects of this film. The acting is absolutely perfect. It is beautifully shot, embracing the happy accidents of what I call gifts from the film gods - just the right light coming through the trees, shots of critters that abound in this environment and natural soundscapes that surround us as they are interwoven with a haunting and thoughtful soundtrack. This film also doesn't shy away from visual horror elements in addition to the psychological experience that unfolds, creating intense unease at times.

Highly recommend!