We all get stressed at work, but not to the level of Christine the fashion designer in Lorcan Finnegan’s latest mystery thriller, Nocebo.
Shot in Ireland, this psychological tale stars Eva Green as Christine, a childrenswear designer who after hearing some shocking news, becomes inflicted with a mysterious illness which she has to take meds for, even eight months later. Her husband Felix (Mark Strong) and daughter Roberta (Billie Gadsdon) struggle to help Christine until a stranger from the Philippines, Diana (Chai Fonacier) turns up at their house to assist with caring for the mother. After some unusual healing practices, Diana reveals that Christine is hiding a horrifying secret.
From the outset, Nocebo is a fascinating film from a stylistic sense. It is presented in an abnormal feeling aspect ratio which instantly shrouds the viewer with an uneasy feeling and gives the story a sense of claustrophobia, and, with a colour grading palette of muted colours, it helps encapsulate the audience into feeling the otherworldly illness that the protagonist is experiencing. Characters and certain objects that are important are meticulously placed, framed, and coloured in such a way that it is clear that Finnegan has a superb eye for directing.
However, the whole finished product, unfortunately, falters with an overly obscure and mind-boggling second act with certain story threads not being fully explored and a not-so-subtle message that dampens the overall experience. Fortunately, the performances of Fonacier and Green especially, are absolutely captivating.
Although a gorgeously presented film, Nocebo’s overall message, and bizarre midsection make this a worthwhile watch in the thriller genre but one that will ultimately have you scratching your head whilst being hit in the face with a haphazardly handled core message about the west exploiting eastern labour.
