"Actually, it's death."
Written by David Koepp and directed by Steven Soderbergh, this intriguing and uniquely unsettling mood piece sees an ordinary but fracturing family move into an ordinary suburban home, the USP here being that the whole story is shown through the fluidly floating POV of a trapped occupying spirit. Th well-maintained central conceit creates an almost dream-like feel and allows for an intimate, almost intrusive exploration of the family's private life and in particular the teenage daughter's grief, being aware of the spirit's presence and believing it could be the spirit of her deceased best friend. With its fan-bating elements of Poltergeist and Paranormal Activity, subdued lighting, realistic in-situ presentation of sound and the occasional appearance of the mournfully elegiac soundtrack, the collision of the disparate family dynamics and largely unsympathetic characters makes for interesting viewing, and its portrayal of nihilistic sadness is bleak. It is hardly ground-breaking, but the different approach and style makes Presence an intriguing viewing experience, leading to a really well-executed ending.
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