Now available on Blu-ray is Danny and Michael Philippou’s Bring Her Back, starring Sally Hawkins. This marks the duo’s sophomore feature following their breakout 2023 directorial debut, Talk to Me. While Bring Her Back didn’t replicate the box office success of its predecessor, it still earned strong praise from both critics and audiences.
After 17-year-old Andy (Billy Barratt) and his visually impaired step-sister Piper (Sora Wong) discover their father dead in the shower, they’re placed under the care of former counselor Laura (Sally Hawkins). Laura is already fostering a mute boy, Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), and while Andy counts down the days until he turns 18 and can take custody of his sister, he tries to make the best of their unsettling new reality—even attempting to bond with Oliver. But soon, Andy realizes that something isn’t quite right… not only with Oliver, but with Laura herself. As Andy begins to realize things aren’t quite right, Laura begins to do whatever she can to get in between the siblings. Even going as far as causing Piper to distrust her older brother.
It’s no real surprise to viewers that the story involves an occult resurrection, Laura’s grief as a mother and Oliver’s unsettling, not-quite-human presence make that fairly clear. The real shock comes from the film’s truly gruesome moments, most of them centered on Oliver. While Bring Her Back doesn’t pack the relentless scares or brisk pace of Talk to Me, its undeniable highlight is Sally Hawkins, delivering one of the finest performances of her career. She is absolutely mesmerizing.
Bonus features:
- Director Commentary with Danny & Michael Philippou
- Deleted Scene
- “Coming Full Circle: Making Bring Her Back” Featurette
- Six Collectible Postcards with Behind the Scenes Photography
By: Marc Ferman
