Watcher (2022) Movie Review
Julia, played by Maika Monroe, senses something unsettling about the man in the neighboring apartment in Bucharest who constantly stares at her. Despite her unease, expressing her feelings becomes a challenge. Julia, grappling with insomnia, language barriers, and loneliness, wonders if she's misinterpreting the situation. She rationalizes away her growing uneasiness but can't shake the feeling that she's in danger. Chloe Okuno's debut thriller, "Watcher Movie," masterfully captures Julia's perspective through visuals, sound, and Monroe's compelling performance. The film's meticulous stylization, from apartment details to color choices, creates an atmosphere crackling with icy dread, blurring the line between reality and Julia's perception.
"Watcher" introduces the audience to a disoriented Julia, relocated to Bucharest with her half-Romanian husband, Francis (Karl Glusman). The trouble begins in a cab where Julia feels alienated by the conversation in Romanian, intensifying her disorientation. Okuno's deliberate choice to omit subtitles involves viewers in Julia's frustrations. As they enter their new apartment building, Julia notices something eerie across the way—a dimly lit window with a man (Burn Gorman) staring down at them. The film leaves viewers questioning the significance of this sighting.
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The storytelling in "Watcher" weaves a subjective narrative, casting doubt on Julia's reliability as the narrator of her own life. The film's visual elements and Monroe's performance intensify the sense of unease, making mundane aspects terrifying. With ceilings too high and voices echoing from unseen depths, "Watcher" delves into the psychological impact of Julia's growing paranoia. While the references to classic films are evident, Okuno's unique approach, supported by cinematographer Benjamin Kirk Nielsen, showcases their prowess as a formidable team in this chilling and elegant thriller.
Julia, played by Maika Monroe, faces an unsettling situation as a mysterious man is always present outside her window. This marks the beginning of Julia's emotional unraveling, portrayed brilliantly by Monroe. Each scene builds on the previous, transforming Julia into someone almost unrecognizable from her initial introduction. The "watcher" becomes more apparent, appearing at a movie theater and even the grocery store. Despite Julia's legitimate fear, her husband, Francis (Karl Glusman), is supportive but perplexed, seeing her distress as an exaggeration.
"Watcher" explores the complex relationship between the voyeur and the one being observed. Julia is not just a passive subject; she becomes a "watcher" herself, blurring the boundaries between them. The film delves into the psychological aspect of a woman feeling lost, sleep-deprived, and possibly hallucinating, drawing parallels to classics like "Rosemary's Baby" and Polanski's works. The meticulous attention to interiors creates an unsettling atmosphere, reminiscent of "Repulsion."
Although Julia's character is thinly sketched, Monroe's compelling performance compensates for the gaps. Julia's background as an actress who gave up her career for marriage raises questions about her past, but Monroe's simplicity and directness convey the terror consuming her. Fear is depicted as an all-encompassing attack on the self, shutting down every system.
"Watcher" thrives on the anticipation of potential threats rather than explicit confrontations, tapping into the fear that the mind can conjure. The film skillfully navigates Hitchcockian influences, particularly echoing "Rear Window," while presenting a unique psychological portrait of a woman haunted by an unseen presence.