Film: Bring Her Back [2025] – Billy Barratt, Sally Hawkins

Bring Her Back is a film that pulls no punches in its brutal telling of a foster family situation gone horribly, horribly wrong.

A24 is known for upscale and beautiful movies. And this one is no different. Starring Billy Barratt, Sally Hawkins and others, Bring Her Back was the first horror movie I saw in over a decade. And I’m happy I did.

Ususally, horror movies are all about shock factor and gore. This movie has the gore, but the shock factor is limited because, well, they just didn’t need it: It’s unsettling, it’s upsetting, it’s very dark. It’s slow-burn horror that doesn’t spoon-feed you answers, and it’s definitely not for everyone.

The first part of the movie is about 2 sibblings losing their dad. The imagery is unsettling. However, that trauma drags into the second half where Laura (Sally Hawkins) adopts them. That’s where things get even worse. Is Laura crazy? Or are the circumstances around her what’s off the rails? Anticipating that answer is part of what makes the movie so tension-inducing and brilliant.

While the bloody, disgusting imagery is catnip for genre freaks, it’s the sustained intense tone and gutting portrayal of grief that make the film borderline great.

Did I get scared and freak out? A bit. Would I watch the movie again? Definitely. Just for its real-life grief and anxiety component that brings the terror, instead of the usual supernatural gimmickry.

Should You Watch It?

It might not just the scariest movie of the year – it’s also the most heartbreaking.

Where Can I Watch It?

You can watch Bring Her Back in theaters.