Vivarium

Vivarium from 2019, starring Imogen Poots, Danielle Ryan, and Molly McCann, is a suspenseful science fiction thriller that delves deep into the human psyche, existential dread, and the shadowy underbelly of suburban living. With its otherworldly aesthetics, meticulous storytelling, and profound performances, this psychological thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The movie orbits around a young, vibrant and in-love couple, Gemma (Imogen Poots) and Tom (Jesse Eisenberg). They are at the stage of life where they are considering buying their first home. Guided by a peculiarly odd real estate agent, Martin (Jonathan Aris), they visit Yonder, a seemingly idyllic suburban neighbourhood of identical houses, to view a potential home. However, Yonder is eerily lacking in life, color, or any distinguishing feature from one house to another - a labyrinth of uniformity. An unusual detail about the neighbourhood is that all the houses are numbered '9'.

What starts out as a casual house viewing quickly becomes an unsettling nightmare when they realize that they are unable to leave the surreal suburbia that appears to transcend normal time and space constraints. The story takes a significant turn when they're unexpectedly given the tremendous responsibility of raising a young boy (Senan Jennings) who mysteriously arrives in a box. Thrust into the deep end of this unfamiliar and bizarre set of circumstances, Gemma and Tom experience an enforced domesticity that challenges their relationship, sanity, and their fundamental understanding of reality.

The performances of the lead actors are powerfully praiseworthy. Imogen Poots' emotional range is effectively exploited with her portrayal of Gemma, as her nurturing instincts are manipulated and tested. Danielle Ryan and Senan Jennings offer a mix of characterization that adds an eerie texture to the plot. Molly McCann, although in a brief role, leaves an indelible mark on the proceedings. Jesse Eisenberg brings his trademark intellectual sarcasm to Tom, adding much-needed levity to the intense narrative.

Directed by Lorcan Finnegan, Vivarium is visually striking with its dreamlike set design, exhibiting a high degree of creativity and craftsmanship. Vivarium operates on varying levels of surrealism and psychological foreplay. It's a captivating blend of Orwellian dystopia and Kafkaesque helplessness. Shot in such a way that the seemingly beautiful suburban neighbourhood becomes claustrophobic and eerie, the intense atmosphere enables viewers to viscerally feel the same dread and confusion as the characters themselves.

Cinematographer MacGregor captures a haunting aesthetic throughout, applying a pale color palette that fits perfectly with the endless rows of greenish pastel houses, an everlasting cloud-filled sky, and peculiar human interactions – all adding to the unsettling aura that permeates the movie. The distressing yet intriguing plot is testament to Lorcan Finnegan’s brilliant direction and the screenplay by Garret Shanley, which raises more questions than it answers, fostering an unnerving sense of disorientation and dread.

Vivarium brims with philosophical underpinnings, brilliantly deconstructing the concept of 'home' while effectively inducing moments of claustrophobia, terror, and disgust. At its core, Vivarium is a psycho-social experiment exploring the extremes of human psyche when familiar structures and patterns of life are disrupted.

The film's title 'Vivarium', a place for keeping animals under semi-natural conditions for observation or research, is a subtle hint at the film narrative that serves to represent suburbia as a specimen being examined under the microscope, challenging the conventionally held notions of domesticity and societal expectations.

Defying genre conventions, Vivarium is a film that courageously and successfully juggle horror, dark humor, and unsettling social commentary. Its intriguing storyline, intense performances, and relentless atmosphere make it a unique addition to the psychological-thriller genre. With each disturbing twist and turn, the film becomes a deeper exploration of love, fear, and the human capacity to adapt.

Undeniably, Vivarium from 2019 is not merely a film but a psychologically probing experience that leaves viewers questioning their understanding of life, love, and reality itself.