The Lodge (2019)

Directed by: Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz | 108 minutes | drama, horror | Actors: Riley Keough, Jaeden Martell, Lia McHugh, Richard Armitage, Alicia Silverstone, Dany Keough, Lola Reid, Philippe Menard, Jarred Atkin

If you believe in fairy tales, you wouldn’t wish it on anyone: getting into a relationship with a man who already has children… Stepmothers don’t have it easy in ‘Snow White’ and ‘Sleeping Beauty’, but in various stories they are often even seen as the instigator of everything what’s wrong. As a stepmother you are immediately behind by one zero. This is also the case in ‘The Lodge’, the successor to ‘Goodnight, Mommy’ (‘Ich seh, ich seh’) by the Austrian directorial duo Veronika Franz (wife of Ulrich Seidl) and her cousin Severin Fiala.

Laura (Alicia Silverstone) has been living separately from her husband Richard (Richard Armitage) for some time. Richard now has a new girlfriend, Grace (Riley Keough), but the fact that he also wants to marry her comes as a shock to Laura. After a traumatic event – ​​Silverstone’s contribution to the film can almost be called a cameo, that’s hardly a spoiler – children Mia and Aiden (Lia McHugh and Jaeden Martell) see no reason at all to approach daddy’s new sweetheart. However, Richard is determined to improve the bond between his children and Grace. He uses the upcoming Christmas season to bring Mia, Aiden and Grace closer together. In a remote forest hut – hence the title – they will celebrate Christmas together. What could go wrong? Quite a lot, it turns out. ‘The Lodge’ has an oppressive and dark start; from Laura making up herself, who then looks at herself in the mirror crying, to the creepy doll who hugs daughter Mia as if her life depended on it. The great thing about this directorial duo is that for a long time they didn’t reveal exactly where this palpable threat comes from. Is it Grace’s shadowy past that threatens the lives of the protagonists or is it the children who are the danger? After Mia and Aiden’s rock-solid start, Franz and Fiala shift their focus to Grace, making you suddenly question your initial assumption: that Grace will have to leave if Richard, Mia and Aiden are to be safe.

With ‘The Lodge’, the pair slowly build up the story of this broken, traumatized family; there is ample room for mourning, grief, blame and attempts to return to what must pass for ‘normal’. As a viewer you understand Richard’s attitude as well as that of the children and Grace. The addition of religious elements gives the film an extra sinister charge. The house, built entirely of wood, where Laura and Richard were once happy – contains countless relics. Mia and Aidan—raised deeply in the faith—quickly learn the truth about Grace’s terrible childhood.

If you’re going for pure horror, ‘The Lodge’ isn’t for you. Apart from a few jumpscares, this atmospheric print is more of a psychological drama/thriller about the consequences of trauma than a terrifying horror film. The makers demand your patience, but if you like these kinds of movies, it’s a cinch. The acting is very good; Riley Keough is especially strong in her portrayal of the troubled Grace, but the youngest of the cast, Lia McHugh, also makes a big impression in this rather difficult role for her age. It’s a shame that the film collapses a bit in the third act and that there are some illogicalities in the screenplay that you can’t easily get over. However, that is not enough reason to skip ‘The Lodge’.