There is never a clear path to closure, and Matthew Berkowitz’s The Madness Inside Me is a perfect example of how varying the paths may be. Berkowitz serves as both writer and director, effectively crafting a thrilling, intriguing world full of engaging characters that keeps the viewer interested until the final moments.

The Madness Inside Me follows Madison (Merrin Dungey) as she retakes control of her life following the death of her husband. Berkowitz takes a hard look at the “traumatic experience” as a whole, and has a lot of fun subverting the norms of what the aftermath can look like for survivors. Many viewers can surely relate to being reminded by others of our trauma, as well as the jarring societal pressure to immediately assimilate back into mundane affairs despite our experiences. The Madness Inside Me leans into the seductive fantasy of taking your life back from this cycle, breaking out of others’ expectations, and how scary that can feel for the first time. The entire film is frightening, comforting, and liberating.

The cast is a diverse lineup of talent, but Dungey’s performance as Madison takes center stage. Her stellar performance drives the film forward and is an expert showing of character development akin to Sandra Oh in Killing Eve. The revolving door of characters Madison interacts with is anchored by Devon Graye, whose chilling performance opposite Dungey only adds to the layered and at times alarming atmosphere of the film. Their on-screen dynamic feels visceral and natural, even while apprehensive events unfold. The pair’s chemistry is one for the books.

The Madness Inside Me can feel eerily calm at times, creating a mood that is both unnerving yet enticing. On paper some of the settings might seem banal, but the crew’s execution effortlessly transforms a dripping faucet into a ticking clock, or a large bedroom into a locked cage. The cinematography varies between feeling vast and encompassing to deeply invasive and prying into the characters’ already vulnerable lives.

Despite the film’s overall ominous tone, startling action scenes are sprinkled into the narrative in exciting moments. Madison’s memories and new experiences collide into a thrilling clash of events for the viewer to take in altogether. Sound design and score only enhance this contrast between the movement and stillness throughout, adding a virtuosic air to the scenes. Tension is created and tightly held throughout the film from the visual alone, so it is only fitting for it to match with aural elements on a similar wavelength.

While The Madness Inside Me is stunning in both its technical and creative achievements, the notions of reclamation and resilience shine through as the main takeaways of the film. Oftentimes we see characters who survive despite their negative experiences, but Madison is a rare find in that she survives and even thrives on her adversity, bringing herself up to bat it all. The film is full of violent and dramatic events, but the overarching themes of taking back your life and finding yourself is inspiring to see in a character who chooses themselves despite all of the noise.

Berkowitz’s calm, chilling The Madness Inside Me breaks boundaries for independent cinema, and is sure to become a benchmark for future films to come.

9 Out Of 10