“We have come very far, enduring many hardships. But at last, we’ve found a place where we can be safe, together. At the other end of the ocean…Mum had put all her hopes on the house where she had grown up. It had been waiting for us, frozen in time for over thirty years” – George MacKay, Marrowbone (2017)
I found Marrowbone in a rabbit hole search of Mia Goth movies a few months ago. Once I saw the spooky and earthy stills, I watched it right away. I loved the atmosphere and story. It was unlike anything I had seen before. I will never forget how I felt when I saw that jarring twist near the end. While giving away as little as I possibly can, let’s step into the world of Marrowbone.
The story begins with the arrival of the family at their mother’s childhood home in rural Maine, an estate by the name of Marrowbone. The siblings are Jack (George MacKay), Billy (Charlie Heaton), Jane (Mia Goth), and Sam (Matthew Stagg). Fleeing England to escape their abusive father, the mother (Nicola Harrison) tells the children their new family name will be Marrowbone. The house has not been lived in for years, but the Marrowbones gradually settle into their new home. They soon meet Allie (Anya Taylor-Joy), who becomes their first new friend and connection to the community beyond the property. Their lives become a little more comfortable day by day as they let go of their troubled past.
When their mother dies of an illness, the siblings learn of her final wishes in a letter. In a shared moment after Jack reads the letter aloud, they vow to stay together. Fearing they will be forcibly separated, they decide to hide their mother’s death and keep the outside world at bay until Jack turns twenty-one. While his brothers and sister stay inside Marrowbone, Jack rides his bike into the nearby town to buy groceries, sell homemade cakes baked by Jane, and visit Allie at her job in the library. He pays bill collectors with money left by his mother and the money they make from Jane’s sales. Jane practices her mother’s signature when documents for the house need signed; this is one of the many moves they make to get by until Jack’s birthday.
The Marrowbones experience increasingly strange phenomena in the house. Sam hears noises in the walls and insists that all mirrors stay covered by linens to keep a supernatural presence inside. More outsiders involve themselves, and the family secrets grow harder to contain. As the viewer watches the story of these siblings unfold, they realize with a compounding dread that the walls of Marrowbone hide a much darker secret.
Marrowbone is a cottage-core horror film that will touch fans of horror and mystery. It is haunting, beautifully filmed, and elevated by a talented cast. It is a must-watch for fans of Shirley Jackson and Daphne du Maurier. It is well worth hunting down to watch if you are ready for the ride.
Also, the Marrowbones have a semi-pet raccoon named Scoundrel who explores behind the walls and makes a couple appearances onscreen. So there’s that.
Until next time,
Jordan
By Night 