There is something inherently extra creepy about a feature that focuses on childhood trauma but alludes to it and features it through one characters visions and perspective that always leaves the audience to be left in the mystery and illusion of the unknown. With stunning cinematography and a terrific performance from Georgina Campbell, Teresa Sutherland’s Lovely, Dark, and Deep is certainly the first two with a touch of the deeper meaning of what happens when people go missing in the forest to the forefront.
The movie focuses on Lennon (Georgina Campbell) as she is overtaking the remote post in the forest and is searching for a missing person in the woods. People go missing in the woods in the United States often it seems, but the journey that Lennon goes on is part realism and partial supernatural occurrences that blur the lines between reality and the supernatural and unknown. The audience is taken on a journey that truly cannot be differentiated between reality and the unknown bringing the unknown risks of the woods and survivalist skills to the forefront creating a tense and uneasy environment for the audience.
Lovely, Deep, and Dark works for a plethora of reasons, whether they be the incredible storytelling and direction for Teresa Sutherland or the absolutely astonishing cinematography done by Rui Pocas that brings this world to life and lets the audience marinate in the unknown and supernatural and possible superficial world that has been created. However, all of this would be wasted, if it were not for the remarkable performance from Georgina Campbell. She manages to create a world so engrossing and caring as the audience revels with her in the world she finds herself trapped in. With a powerful script, direction, beautifully crafted cinematography, and a powerhouse performance Lovely, Deep, and Dark truly excels the boundaries of storytelling and creates a tense world for the audience to reside in. Lovely, Dark, and Deep truly is a movie that you have to see to believe and get lost in the world of the woods with to truly reveal in the brilliance.
Lovely, Deep, and Dark screens 7:00PM, Sunday, October 22 at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival! The Ontario Premiere with the Director in attendance! Tickets are sold out but there is a rush line!
