Separation (2021 film)

Last updated

Separation
Separation 2021 Film poster.png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by William Brent Bell
Written by
Produced by
  • Jordan Beckerman
  • William Brent Bell
  • Jesse Korman
  • Jordan Yale Levine
  • Clay Pecorin
  • Russ Posternak
Starring
Cinematography Karl Walter Lindenlaub
Edited by Brian Berdan
Music by Brett Detar
Production
companies
  • RainMaker Films
  • Yale Productions
Distributed by
Release date
  • April 30, 2021 (2021-04-30)
Running time
107 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$4.5 million [1] [2]

Separation is a 2021 American supernatural horror film directed by William Brent Bell, from a screenplay by Nick Amadeus and Josh Braun. It stars Rupert Friend, Mamie Gummer, Madeline Brewer, Violet McGraw, Simon Quarterman, and Brian Cox. The film follows a father who must take care of his daughter, after his wife, who filed for divorce, suddenly dies in an accident, as the two become haunted by a mysterious entity.

Contents

Separation was released on April 30, 2021, by Open Road Films and Briarcliff Entertainment. It received mainly negative reviews from critics.

Plot

Illustrator Jeff Vahn is forced into divorce by his wife Maggie, who also fights for sole custody of their daughter Jenny. Failing at his career and distraught at the possibility of losing Jenny, Jeff argues over the phone with Maggie, who is then killed in a hit and run.

After Maggie's funeral, Jeff has recurring nightmares of spirits lurking around the house. Maggie's father, Paul Rivers, prepares to sue Jeff for custody after seeing his tactless treatment of Jenny, who reverts to a state of depression and begins acting strangely. Unable to successfully comfort or help her, Jeff reaches out to an old friend for a small job opportunity at a comic book company. In a trance Jeff draws a peculiar figure, and it is shown that the same figure is watching over Jenny.

Jenny's babysitter, Samantha Nally, begins watching her full-time as Jeff starts his new job. Samantha attempts to be a mother figure to Jenny, who sinks deeper into depression. The house is revealed to be inhabited by spirits who possess some of Jenny's puppet toys, and Jeff keeps entering trances where he draws frightening creatures whom the spirits bring to life. These spirits interact with Jenny, who realizes she is the only one who can see them. But despite his inability to truly see the spirits, Jeff begins to suspect that the ghosts are controlled by Maggie, who is haunting him as punishment for his anger towards her and treatment of Jenny.

After Jenny survives an allergic reaction to her food, Jeff decides to move upstate so she can live closer to Paul. Jeff also earns a promotion at work, and amicably resolves the custody battle with Paul. However, a private investigator contacts Paul with the identity of Maggie's killer, Samantha, who then pushes Paul from the house's second story.

Jeff races home, where the injured Paul reveals the truth to him. Samantha admits that she's in love with Jeff, and killed Maggie to protect him; she also poisoned Jenny's food, believing Jenny was keeping her from getting closer to Jeff. Jeff realizes Maggie's ghost truly has come back for revenge and is leading the other ghosts—however, her revenge is against Samantha, not Jeff. Maggie kills Samantha, and Jenny goes up the attic to talk with Maggie. She slips and Jeff attempts to catch her, but they both free-fall from the attic window. Jeff and Jenny wake up uninjured on the ground, and realize Maggie saved them from the fall. As Maggie's spirit departs, first responders arrive at the house.

Cast

Production

In October 2018, it was announced Rupert Friend would star in the film, with William Brent Bell directing from a screenplay by Nick Amadeus and Josh Braun. Bell, Jordan Yale Levine, Jordan Beckerman, Russ Posternak, Jesse Korman, Clay Pecorin and Russell Geyser, were announced as producers under their Yale Productions and RainMaker Films banners, respectively. [3] In November 2018, Mamie Gummer, Madeline Brewer, Brian Cox and Violet McGraw joined the cast of the film. [4]

In early 2020, the film was in final stages of post-production. [5]

Release

In March 2021, Open Road Films and Briarcliff Entertainment acquired distribution rights to the film, and set it for an April 23, 2021, release. [6] It was then pushed back to April 30, 2021. [7]

Reception

Box office

The film made $1.8 million from 1,751 theaters in its opening weekend, finishing fourth at the box office. [8] It fell 40% in its second weekend to $1.1 million, finishing sixth. [9]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 7% of 30 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.30/10.The website's consensus reads: "A lifeless divorce drama cosplaying as a horror film, Separation is a disjointed mess that fails to escape its formulaic trappings." [10] Audiences surveyed by PostTrak gave the film a 42% positive score, with 27% saying they would definitely recommend it. [8]

Nick Schager of Variety called the film's story "a dull and misogynistic affair that imagines multiple types of women as malevolent fiends who terrorize supposedly sympathetic men", and criticized its script and performances. [11] Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the film "attempts to inject scares into a Kramer vs. Kramer -inspired scenario", but "squanders its intriguing setup and terrific performances by devolving into familiar genre tropes." [12] A. A. Dowd of The A.V. Club gave the film a D grade, writing: "this bargain-basement thriller approaches both its jack-in-the-box scares and its domestic scenario with the negligence of an unfit parent; it will spook neither the superstitious nor the matrimonially anxious." [13] Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com gave the film 0/4 stars, calling it "a movie that fails as both a domestic drama and as a horror flick" and "a viciously misogynistic film that feels like the result of a drunk guy at a bar wondering if his ex-wife is so cruel that she would haunt him from beyond the grave." [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Courteney Cox</span> American actress and filmmaker (born 1964)

Courteney Bass Cox is an American actress and filmmaker. She gained international recognition for her starring role as Monica Geller in the NBC sitcom Friends (1994–2004). Cox received further recognition for starring as Gale Weathers in the horror film franchise Scream (1996–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Cox (actor)</span> Scottish actor (born 1946)

Brian Denis Cox is a Scottish actor. A classically trained Shakespearean actor, he is known for leading performances on stage and television, as well as supporting roles in film. His numerous accolades include two Laurence Olivier Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award as well as a nomination for a British Academy Television Award. In 2003, he was appointed to the Order of the British Empire at the rank of Commander. Empire magazine awarded him the Empire Icon Award in 2006, and the UK Film Council named him one of the top 10 powerful British film stars in Hollywood in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernie Hudson</span> American actor (born 1945)

Earnest Lee Hudson is an American actor. He is known for his role as Winston Zeddemore in the Ghostbusters franchise. Hudson has also acted in the films Leviathan (1989), The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992), The Crow (1994), Airheads (1994), The Basketball Diaries (1995), Congo (1995), Miss Congeniality (2000) and The Ron Clark Story (2006).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rupert Friend</span> British actor

Rupert William Anthony Friend is a British actor. He first gained recognition for his roles in The Libertine (2004) and Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont (2005), both of which won him awards for best newcomer. He portrayed George Wickham in Pride & Prejudice (2005), Lieutenant Kurt Kotler in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008), Albert, Prince Consort in The Young Victoria (2009), psychologist Oliver Baumer in Starred Up (2013), CIA operative Peter Quinn in the political thriller series Homeland (2012–2017), Vasily Stalin in The Death of Stalin (2017), Theo van Gogh in At Eternity's Gate (2018), and Ernest Donovan in the series Strange Angel (2018–2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Brent Bell</span> American screenwriter and film director

William Brent Bell is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is known for his work on horror films such as Stay Alive (2006), The Devil Inside (2012), Wer (2013), The Boy (2016), Brahms: The Boy II (2020), Separation (2021), Orphan: First Kill (2022), and Lord of Misrule (2023). His films have grossed over $300 million worldwide at the box office.

Grace Jane Gummer is an American actress. She received a Theatre World Award for her Broadway debut in the 2011 revival of Arcadia. Her television work includes recurring roles in The Newsroom and American Horror Story: Freak Show, and regular roles in Extant and Mr. Robot.

<i>Hemlock Grove</i> (TV series) 2013 American horror thriller television series

Hemlock Grove is an American horror streaming television series produced by Eli Roth and developed by Brian McGreevy and Lee Shipman. It is a production of Gaumont International Television. The series is based on McGreevy's 2012 novel of the same name. The series premiered on Netflix on April 19, 2013, with all 13 episodes made immediately available for online viewing.

Blumhouse Productions, LLC. Doing business as Blumhouse is an American film and television production company founded in 2000 by Jason Blum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TriStar Productions</span> Film and television production company

TriStar Productions (TSP) is an American film and television production company, a division of TriStar Pictures and a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) and former 20th Century Fox chairman Tom Rothman.

<i>DMZ</i> (miniseries) 2022 American streaming television miniseries

DMZ is an American dystopian streaming television miniseries created by Roberto Patino, based on the comic book series of the same name by Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli, that premiered on HBO Max on March 17, 2022. A portion of the miniseries premiered at SXSW on March 12, 2022.

<i>Ricki and the Flash</i> Film directed by Jonathan Demme

Ricki and the Flash is a 2015 American musical comedy-drama film directed by Jonathan Demme and written by Diablo Cody, about a woman who leaves her family to become a rock star and later gets a chance to make amends. The film stars Meryl Streep, Mamie Gummer, Kevin Kline, Sebastian Stan, Rick Springfield, and Audra McDonald. The film marks Streep and Kline's third collaboration after Sophie's Choice (1982) and A Prairie Home Companion (2006). It was Demme's final narrative film before his death in April 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paramount Players</span> American film studio division of Paramount Pictures

Paramount Players is an American film production label of Paramount Pictures, focusing on "contemporary properties" while working with other Paramount Global brands. The name alludes to the company's earliest origins as Famous Players Film Company, before its 1914 founding by William Wadsworth Hodkinson.

Ben Robson is an English actor and model. He is known for playing the roles of Craig Cody in the TNT series Animal Kingdom and Frankie Scott in the Peacock series The Continental.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lindsey Ferrentino</span> American dramatist

Lindsey Ferrentino is an American contemporary playwright and screenwriter.

<i>Orphan: First Kill</i> 2022 film directed by William Brent Bell

Orphan: First Kill is a 2022 American psychological horror film directed by William Brent Bell, written by David Coggeshall, based on a story by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Alex Mace. It is a prequel to the 2009 film Orphan. It stars Isabelle Fuhrman, Julia Stiles, Rossif Sutherland, Hiro Kanagawa, and Matthew Finlan.

<i>Shining Vale</i> 2022 American comedy horror television series

Shining Vale is an American satirical comedy horror streaming television series created by Jeff Astrof and Sharon Horgan. The series stars Courteney Cox, Greg Kinnear, Sherilyn Fenn, Mira Sorvino, Merrin Dungey, and Judith Light. It premiered on Starz on March 6, 2022. In May 2022, the series was renewed for a second season. The second season premiered on October 13, 2023. In December 2023, the series was canceled after two seasons, with its seasons to be removed from the streaming service.

<i>The Fall of the House of Usher</i> (miniseries) American horror drama television miniseries

The Fall of the House of Usher is an American gothic horror drama television miniseries created by Mike Flanagan. All eight episodes were released on Netflix on October 12, 2023, each directed by either Flanagan or Michael Fimognari, with the latter also acting as cinematographer for the entire series.

Violet Elizabeth McGraw is an American child actress. She began acting at the age of five, with her debut credited role being a recurring role in the 2016 television series Love as Nina, and her first feature film being in 2018's Ready Player One. In 2019 she was nominated for an OFTA Television Award for Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or Limited Series for The Haunting of Hill House. She is also known for her role as Cady in the 2022 horror film M3GAN.

<i>Space Oddity</i> (film) 2022 film by Kyra Sedgwick

Space Oddity is a 2022 American romantic comedy science fiction film directed by Kyra Sedgwick and written by Rebecca Banner. It stars Kyle Allen, Alexandra Shipp, Madeline Brewer, Carrie Preston, Simon Helberg and Kevin Bacon.

References

  1. ↑ "Separation (2021)". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Separation (2021)". The Numbers . Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  3. ↑ Siegel, Tatiana (October 23, 2018). "Rupert Friend to Star in Divorce-Themed Horror Film 'Separation' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  4. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (November 9, 2018). "Mamie Gummer, Madeline Brewer, Brian Cox Join William Brent Bell's 'Separation'". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  5. ↑ "'The Boy' & 'The Devil Inside' Director William Brent Bell Lines up Folk-Horror 'Lord of Misrule' with 'The Quiet Ones' Scribe, Bankside Launches at EFM". February 19, 2020.
  6. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 1, 2021). "Open Road & Briarcliff Land 'Separation', Set April Wide Release For William Brent Bell-Helmed Horror Film With Brian Cox & Rupert Friend". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  7. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 24, 2021). "Open Road Horror Feature 'Separation' Moves To Late April Following 'Black Widow's Move To July". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  8. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 2, 2021). "'Mortal Kombat' & 'Demon Slayer' Continue To Duke It Out In Second Weekend Of Box Office". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  9. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 9, 2021). "Jason Statham & Guy Ritchie Reteam 'Wrath Of Man' Leads Weekend With A- CinemaScore, As Exhibition Looks Forward To Summer". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Separation". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved October 10, 2021. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  11. ↑ Schager, Nick (April 29, 2021). "'Separation' Review: A Scattershot and Oft-Misogynistic Thriller". Variety . Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  12. ↑ Scheck, Frank (April 29, 2021). "'Separation': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  13. ↑ Dowd, A. A. (April 29, 2021). "Separation is a lousy divorce drama by way of a crappy horror movie". The A.V. Club . Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  14. ↑ Tallerico, Brian (April 30, 2021). "Separation movie review & film summary (2021)". RogerEbert.com . Retrieved September 4, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.