PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Welcome Home was a sometimes creepy – sometimes creeper – kind of flick. The mark of a good director is that they can change the tone of a film at the drop of a hat, and George Ratliff (Joshua 2007) defiantly pulls this off effortlessly. Welcome Home will make you think twice before booking that secluded dream Airbnb getaway.
Synopsis
A couple spend a weekend at a vacation rental home in the Italian countryside in an attempt to repair their fractured relationship. A local man begins showing up when help is needed, and eventually when it’s not.
Review
Welcome Home opens up with a seemingly perfect loving couple, Bryan (Aaron Paul: Breaking Bad TV series) and his gilrfriend Cassie played by the stunning Emily Ratajkowski (Robin Thicke and Pharrell’s Blurred Lines video), being driven through the beautiful Italian countryside adjacent to an award winning vineyard on their way to stay at a picture perfect renovated 13th century monastery… with full access to the wine cellar, no less.
Everything is perfect as the couple watch the sun going down from the stone patio when a text message notification breaks the silence. They decide to shelve the phones for the rest of their stay in paradise. As Bryan makes his way to the bedroom to put away the phones, an alert on Cassie’s quickly changes the mood and the shine of perfection scrubs off to reveal a relationship on the mend instead of a carefree vacation.
I really enjoyed how this tonal shift changed the film from a typical romance movie to the beginnings of something more. Welcome Home shifts gears once again as the final shot of the first act reveals that they are not alone. The audience’s point of view reveals surveillance screens, letting us in on the fact that every angle of the the residence is being covered by cameras, and the couple being watched.
The movie graduates to full on thriller after Cassie injures herself during her morning jog and is “saved” by Federico (Riccardo Scamarcio: John Wick: Chapter 2), a mysterious local man who seems to be popping up out of nowhere all the time. Bryan is not so convinced of Federico’s supposed benign intentions, especially after his and Cassie’s past issues.
This movie is in they eye of the beholder, depending on the audience. If you are single, you will most likely watch it with a more detached point of view, and may find it a little slow to start. If you are in a loving relationship, the inevitable, “You would never do that to me, would you?” or “If you ever did that, I swear to God!” phrases could and most likely will arise. If you are in a relationship that is going through a rocky patch, you will probably want to skip this one, as you may not make it to the end with the two of you still in the same room together.
Welcome Home has the ability to play on the insecurities and jealousies that are inevitably present in even the most solid of relationships. The filmmakers are able to bend and manipulate those powerful emotions in ways that are not only tense to watch for the audience, but can also force them to internalize what is happening on screen, making it bleed into their own thoughts. Its essence consistently pulls the audience ever more into the story.
Federico is the human embodiment of all such emotions. He is pulling the strings and setting the scenes like a meticulously calculated, twisted puppet master. Riccardo Scamarcio breathes life into the character of Federico, making him jovial and warm, yet at the same time condescending and combative, all depending onto which of the couple he is delivering his lines. His ability to play both characters simultaneously is wonderful and frustrating all at once. I was left slapping my knee and yelling, “How could you be so blind!” at the screen, while gritting my teeth at Bryan’s restraint.
Final Thoughts
Welcome Home is a visually great and extremely well produced film that managed to get more and more under my skin as it went on. In the beginning, I started to think, “Oh, it’s going to be one of those weird sex films,” as Cassie started to take her clothes off during the first act, coupled with Bryan’s couch “release.” Thankfully as the film progressed, it became clear that those scenes were cleary intened for atmosphere and to move the story along.
I really enjoyed this film for both the emotions it drew out, as well as the locations where it was shot. As someone who has travelled to exotic and secluded countries with a significant other in the past, I can sympathise with the fear these characters must have felt while being alone in a strange country. Even though this couple were Americans in a faraway land, they eventually played against type and treated the viewer to a wildly unexpected and possible open ended conclusion. So pop some popcorn, snuggle up tight with your sweetie, and check out Welcome Home. It might just be the getaway you were looking for!
