Charlie (Adam Halferty) mills about in his late father’s home at the opening of the new film WOE. While his sister Betty (Jessie Rabideau) takes a practical approach to their recent loss along with the support of her “boyfriend” Benjamin (Ryan Kattner), Charlie is tasked with making repairs to his father’s home in hopes of selling. All the while he is haunted by loneliness, trauma, and the inescapable loss of his father. Matthew Goodhue writes and directs a pensive and thought-provoking meditation on loss and its existential repercussions with WOE. This is not everyone’s horror movie, but one that everyone that has experienced loss will connect with.

Bridget (Flora Rubenhold), the widow and mother to Charlie and Betty plops down in the front seat of Betty’s car discussing the arrangements for her husband’s funeral. When her son Charlie is brought up she is far more concerned with immediate preparations. Betty, however, wants to move on by selling the care her father committed suicide in and get rid of the house that her brother Charlie is repairing. We have four survivors dealing with grief in their own specific ways and that is what makes WOE such an effective film. While the aforementioned Bridget is nearly forgotten as the film moves on we see the triad of emotions between Charlie and Betty who have lost their father and Benjamin who offers endless support in the only way he knows how; an ill-timed joke, a cup of coffee, or a helping hand.

Charlie’s only break from the daily grind of clearing his father’s home is next-door neighbor Russ (DeVaughn LaBon). Each night the two make it a routine to get together and share a meal and check on one another. While these moments are fleeting, I almost wonder what this film might have been if we focused on these two. Halferty‘s Charlie is a haunted soul riddled with loss and paranormal imaginings. LaBon‘s Russ is the sage neighbor who has witnessed the world play out before him while offering support and understanding. 90 minutes of these two, meeting for dinner and discussing life, loss, and survival might have been a poignant piece of drama.

Goodhue instead chooses to focus on the four experiences of loss and endurance. We see Betty attempting functionality, we watch Benjamin support, Bridget checking out, and Charlie suffering from the demons of loss and anguish. This is good, this is effective, and it could have been just a bit more.

To Goodhue’s credit what is here is effective. The script coupled with Halferty‘s stand-out performance as Charlie is some fine work to behold. The odd side story of the survivalist that Charlie visits out in the woods notwithstanding, we have a visceral film that attempts to take on grief in all of its forms while missing the mark ever so slightly. Those who have been through loss might see themselves in this film. Those who have not, well, enjoy WOE.

7 out of 10