Chris Bell’s directorial debut, indie British horror The Heiress, follows the struggles of sisters Claire (Candis Nergaard) and Anna (Jayne Wisener) as they navigate the immediate aftermath of their grandmother’s death. Already plagued by a history of mental health issues, Claire’s condition worsens in the wake of their recent loss. It therefore falls on Anna to take care of her older sister, further straining their relationship and feeding the former’s resentment. As Claire’s condition worsens, she begins to see strange figures around their house, and is haunted by visions of another’s life. Powerless to keep her sister’s grip on reality from slipping, Anna comes to believe that the only way to aid her is by seeking outside help.
Nergaard does most of the movie’s heavy lifting with her portrayal of Claire, layering her blooming terror with the hardening conviction that what she is witnessing is very real. This performance effectively grounds The Heiress’ exploration of familial responsibility, the importance of personal histories, the ways in which mental health is perceived by medical institutions and religion, and how it affects those suffering and the ones closest to them. Though Bell may fail to say anything new on the topic, the naturalistic dialogue and unremarkable shooting locations elevate the film’s scares and supernatural elements – the majority of which only appear in the last 20 mins of a short 83-minute runtime.
And that’s unfortunately what the major issues with The Heiress come down to. The film’s length does not allow enough time to flesh out the key characters and build rapports with the audience, nor is there enough scope to drill down on the consequences of Claire’s worsening mental health on both herself and her family’s lives. After a reasonably well-developed opening act, the conclusion feels abrupt and, ultimately, inconsequential. The Heiress fails to break new ground despite its incredibly timely themes and, even with its solid performances and decent production value, cannot save itself from its own simplicity.
The Heiress releases on Digital Platforms March 15th.
