Directed by Michael Pearce (formerly of Beast), written by Mare of Easttown creator Brad Ingelsby, and produced by Ridley Scott’s Scott Free, Echo Valley centers on Kate Garrett (Julianne Moore), a widow running a secluded horse farm in Pennsylvania. Her life is thrown into turmoil when her troubled daughter Claire (Sydney Sweeney) arrives bloody, triggering a tense, morally ambiguous mother-daughter journey.
Julianne Moore plays a woman so devoid of agency, we started to wonder if she was being held hostage off-screen. Her daughter shows up a total wreck—drugged out, manipulative, and dangerous—and Moore’s response is basically, “Let me throw my entire life in the trash to help you clean up your latest disaster, sweetheart.”
The Storyline
This is a mediocre film about a toxic drug addicted daughter who does not know what accountability means and a toxic, weak mother who thinks her daughter is God’s gift to humanity and is above the law
At every possible turn, she makes the worst choice imaginable. And not in a compelling, tragic, Greek-myth way. No—more in a “how did anyone greenlight this script” way. The stakes are supposedly high, but when the main character responds to escalating danger with a mix of blank stares and whispered concern, you start rooting for natural selection.
The Dramatic Part
Conducting an autopsy on the charred body to ascertain the cause of death would have revealed smoke damage to the lungs. Julianne Moore gets injected with drugs in an attempt to turn her into an addict. How the mother’s attention to her addicted child and endless love. And with an amazing ending when Moore’s character is smart and a genius.
The remote farm setting and Hitchcockian pacing create a brooding, suspenseful mood. Domhnall Gleeson’s drug-dealer antagonist (“Jackie”) brings chilling menace to the mix.
A thriller that sets up and evolves calmly, feeling more real and believable. Followed by a good twist and thrilling moments that keep you guessing. The plot is unique, with a great storytelling approach. Just go for the performances; the movie will captivate you.
The Characters
Extraordinary performances from Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney make the movie worth watching. Sydney’s at her best. Julianne Moore agreed to make this movie. We should no longer consider a movie burning down the barn with horses in it then we would if it had children in it as a plot line. Les was a fantastic supporting character who made the movie bearable because she’s so good.
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Is It Worth Watching?Â
No mother in their right mind would tolerate that level of evil from such a dangerous evil child who brings only destruction yet here’s this utterly naive mother that can’t even reprimand the evil she does. Definitely not a “feel good” movie and is pretty dar
Written by Nilesh Shiv