Movies: The Little Stranger - Can A House Be Evil?

(Drivebycuriosity) - Can a house be evil? That is the question in the film "Little Stranger", a very subtle ghost story, based on a novel by Sarah Waters (imdb). In the year 1948 a young doctor comes back to Hundreds Hall, an 18th century English mansion, which he had visited as a boy. Things have changed a lot since then. The doctor soon gets involved with the family and strange things happen in the old house (this is a spoiler free blog. You can find a synopsis here  wikipedia ).

I enjoyed the slowly developing sophisticated plot. There are not many special effects, if any. Instead of shock & horror effects director Lenny Abrahamson sets on a dark atmosphere and psychology. The film is very English and reflects the island´s social climate shortly after World War II. The movie benefits from the strongly performing cast:  Charlotte Rampling, Domhnall Gleeson, Ruth Wilson, Will Poulter & Liv Hill. But the slowly decaying house - and in its interior - play the most important role, thanks to the wonderful cinematography by Ole Bratt Birkeland.

A perfect movie for chilling out on a hot late summer day.