The Woman in the Yard is a mess of a story that tries to go deep in the psyche world, but ends up just being a shallow swim into chills. Blumhouse used to be the go to for horror and unique thrills. Lately they have been quantity over quality, and it is the movie goers who suffer.
Synopsis: A mysterious woman repeatedly appears in a family’s front yard, often delivering chilling warnings and unsettling messages, leaving them to question her identity, motives and the potential danger she might pose. | Rated PG-13 for terror, some violent content/bloody images, suicide-related content, and brief strong language. | 1h 28m
I am sure sitting around the production table the premise of this film looked great on paper. Even the synopsis above sounds like a movie that you would want to engage with. But it isn’t. It offers a lot that never gets delivered. The film opens with the perfect setting and characters. A secluded farmhouse, quiet surroundings, with a spring breeze swaying the grass and grains. You can almost feel it. Then “the lady” shows up and it is go time. Ot should be. Instead only questions survive.
Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler) is an injured mom with two kids. Her teen Taylor (Peyton Jackson) seems to be the only one keeping up with the home. From chores, to cooking, to taking care of his little sister Annie (Estella Kahiha). There is a lot of tension in the home which seems to stem from the mom and her emotional state. As the story progresses – especially when the woman arrives – the plot gets too convoluted with more questions than answers. The answers that do come are hard to keep up with and you walk away thinking you have it figured out. Even if you do, it is not one that is fulfilling.
A spoiler free review with this one is hard. Obviously I will give nothing away here. But in hiding these elements it is hard to explain the flaws. The acting is solid from Deadwyler who we know has skills. Often the family drama seems a bit forced. It is over exaggerated to explain what happens next. The woman showing up outside the home certainly escalates what happens inside the house. As an audience member I wanted more of the spooky woman. There is a solid 30-minutes when we do get what we asked for but it is too little. The character is reminiscent of The Nun but at least in those films there is a foundation to carry when the nun is not there.
Will you like this movie? It gave me US vibes in tone and story with out the blood and gore. If you liked US – which I was not a fan of – you might find this one intriguing. But still not on par. Just familiar. If you felt US was more of an “eh” then you will be more than frustrated with this one.
Best option is to wait and free stream it. Maybe watching it on a spooky night in October it will help? But probably not. THE WOMAN IN THE YARD needs to just get off our lawns.
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