What is the best way to deal with extreme guilt or trauma? For some, it’s natural to isolate. A self-imposed seclusion can be freeing since avoiding discomfort is the goal. In today’s society, it seems easier. We are so in tune with our emotions and feelings (both collectively and individually) that this behavior isn’t just understood but supported. It’s then reflected in our art, and there is no better home for the visual expression of this reaction to trauma than the horror genre. A genre that at its best visualizes feelings and emotions in the most complex, creative and interesting ways. These three adjectives perfectly describe Brian Duffield’s new film, No One Will Save You.
The Hulu release takes this very idea and places it in the context of a home invasion thriller. Probing these feelings and ideas through some of the most terrifying situations, in the way that only horror allows. Ratcheting up hardly bearablethe tension to levels that are hardly bearable so the viewer feels the discomfort his lead character Brynn (Kaitlyn Dever) has been avoiding. No One Will Save You is a film that is low on plot but heavy in themes.
It’s a film that you feel viscerally as you watch, and ruminate on in the days that follow. It sticks to you the way a good scare or a hard lesson does. It implants itself in your brain and holds you in the way only great movies can because it’s more than clever or scary or well crafted. It’s an experience you remember because of its visuals, stellar performance and thought-provoking message.
What No One Will Save You does is place you in the moment. A feat that many attempt and less accomplish. That begins with Kaitlyn Dever. Brynn is a very complicated character. One that (like most characters) reveals more of herself and her struggle throughout the course of the film. Just in that Dever has to balance on the thinnest of lines. Needing to draw us in and connect with us, while also holding back major parts of what makes her who she is. She does so beautifully. Drawing us in through her eyes and showing us the broken, shame filled and anxious person who seemingly wants to live a simple life.
A life mostly untouched by the outside world and filled with the simple joys of domesticity, dancing and creating model towns. But one that also longs for connection. These brief moments of anxious desperation before and after potential interactions speak much louder than any dialogue could. Some parts of Brynn miss those interactions and friendship, but it’s the guilt that also flashes across her face in those moments that keep her in this isolation. It’s a portrayal so sharp and subtle it’s hard to fully describe its brilliance. It’s a character you want to sympathize with, but can’t fully because there’s unknown baggage. But you also can’t help it because it’s so authentic and real.
Beyond the incredible Kaitlyn Dever, writer/director Brian Duffield is creating an experience around and through her that is visceral. It’s one of mystery, tension and fear, and he doesn’t do much in the way of explanation or relief. He uses familiarity to pack in complex themes. Home invasion, aliens and the very real terrifying fear of those two colliding. When used as a carrier for the complex themes surrounding Brynn it becomes all the more visceral.
It’s not an invasion of a home that is normally providing safety, it’s an invasion of a home that is everything. Brynn’s home signifies everything to her. The trauma of her mom passing and the memories they share, the guilt and internal fight to process a traumatic event and the world she created for herself. Her home is her world, a world that brings her solace, provides peace and shields her from everything. So, an invasion is an emotional and shocking experience, and not just because of the aliens. That is great filmmaking.
A lot can be said about the quality of No One Will Save You. It’s a great film. More will probably be said about its themes. It’s a deep film, one that deeply explores its characters and asks the audience to do the same. However, it doesn’t do any of the heavy lifting. It asks its audience to be patient and introspective. The ambiguous nature of its themes allows the audience to explore them thoroughly and continually, making No One Will Save You a film worth revisiting. Getting a full grasp on these themes in one viewing is unlikely. That’s not a criticism nor should it be a deterrent. There’s a reward for multiple viewings, one that is certain to heighten the experience. An experience that is truly great! The type of experience you’re searching for in a streamer this time of year.
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