Gerald's Game

So I've been on another Stephen King kick and I've made it my goal to watch a few more horror movies this November than I usually do. Tis the season am I right? I was hesitant about Gerald's Game for two reasons, first being that it was marketed as a horror movie and I was expecting jump scares. Secondly, there are some elements about this movie that you could probably project happening, especially with a movie about a woman being handcuffed to a bed and her struggle to free herself.

But I've been trying to push myself to watch more "horror" or scary films because I do like the psychological and science fiction elements out of certain horror films. I find these elements especially in Stephen King novels because the man just seems to be really good at it.

Gerald's Game follows a middle aged couple named Jessie and Gerald (played by Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood respectively). From the get go, you can see their relationship is on the fritz and they want to spice up their marriage. So they go to a secluded lake house and in no time at all they're ready to start their new sexual experiences that Gerald begins with a pair of handcuffs, firmly restraining both Jessie's hands to the bed post.

There is some interactions in between that are important to the story so I won't spoil it, but bottom line is, Gerald ends up having a heart attack and dying right on top of the still restrained Jessie. What follows is a psychological battle that Jessie has with herself on what she needs to do to survive, get help, and ultimately escape her predicament.

Eventually through stress, fear, and isolation, she starts to question what is real and starts seeing things that manifest out of her psyche and problem solving processing.

This was probably the most interesting part of the movie because the setting is so intimate and reserved to that one room for the majority of the film that a lot of the strength needs to be in the dialogue and the way they flesh out that time she's just by herself. Other movies supplement that with flashbacks that make the whole story, and while there are flashbacks in this movie that allude to Jessie's past experiences, their not random and it all goes back to her condition, on the bed, handcuffed, and slowly headed towards death. It is a fascinatingly produced and written movie with a great small cast. Gugino probably gives the performance of her life time in this film and I am always a fan of Bruce Greenwood.

The stakes, though relatively low to other movies out there, could never be higher for this woman who we get to know very personally and the course of 48-ish hours are engrossing from the beginning. They do a really good job at letting us get to know her and it makes the thrill of her struggle even more intriguing.

The movie is incredibly cerebral and it's messes with your emotions, mind, and thrills. I think if you're looking for a horror movie, you might be pretty disappointed with this one, but that's really not the genre. It's more a movie that's going to mess with your head and also be a bit of a drama.

Now here's the downsides of it. This movie is a little bit slow at times. Remember, a lot of the film is her talking to herself, or the carnations of her mind and when she calms down a little and she's not outwardly freaking out, there are a few really quiet moments that I felt were a little slow. To be fair, the movie is relatively streamlined for the majority of it and the movie never feels too long for a long time. There are certain plot points that the movie teases at for maybe a moment too long. But I think that is all forgiven when you take into account how well written this story is, and how well it's executed through the performances and the plot progression. Again, this is not a straight up horror flick, it's a little more psychological and focused on the drama. I think, especially if you're a fan of Stephen King, this is a gritty, real feeling story that is a fascinating character study. It might not be for everyone and if you're squeemish, some stuff in the movie might off set you, but overall, I'd recommend it to anybody who needs a short contained story on Netflix.

But those are my thoughts on Gerald's Game. Have you seen it? What did you think about it? Comment and Discuss below! You can also send me your thoughts on Twitter @MovieSymposium as well as send me your requests for movies I should watch in the future. If you follow me on Twitter, you can get updates on future movie news and reviews coming out of this blog.

Thanks for reading!