A Banquet is masterful in its graceful energy. The film doesn’t overstay its welcome in terms of runtime or grotesque imagery. Director Ruth Paxton (Pulse) and screenwriter Justin Bull (Merge) are totally in sync from the opening scene to the final frame, as is the cast. A Banquet is thoughtfully engineered horror that is expertly shot by cinematographer David Liddell (Skin), who brings fear and dignity to the whole film. A Banquet isn’t likely to blow anyone’s socks off, but it might make one blow chunks the next time they see a five-star meal.
Betsey (Jessica Alexander) watches as her mother Holly (Sienna Guillory) does everything she can to nurse her ailing father Jason (Richard Keep) back to health, until one day he dies by suicide. She seems to bond with her mother over the tragedy, embracing the role of big sister while still enjoying a social life that Holly doesn’t hinder. One night Betsey tries powdered alcohol and wanders into the woods. When she emerges, something has taken hold of her. Betsey and her sister Isabelle (Ruby Stokes) are slowly realizing the financial problems their mother has been hiding since their father’s death. However, the one thing that does not change is their diet. Holly is a magnificent chef who only cooks the most appetizing dishes. The problem is the main side effect of Betsey’s supernatural awakening is even the sight of a single pea makes her throw up.
After seeing every kind of doctor and eventually force-feeding her own daughter, Holly is forced to reckon with the fact that something no one can explain is happening to Betsey. Holly enlists the help of her own mother, June (Lindsay Duncan), to recant an old folk tale that brings some truth and horror to Betsey’s new ailment and severe possessions. The best performance in the film is that of TV legend Duncan (The Leftovers). She enters the story as the skeptical grandmother who thinks everything can be solved with money and ends up delivering the seminole monologue. She enters like a hurricane, immediately making her force felt on the characters and the audience. Duncan is at the top of her game and A Banquet is always better when she is onscreen.
That’s not to say Alexander isn’t pulling her own weight as the lead. Bull penned a riveting tale of the cool mom under extreme circumstances and the goth-facing daughter with a heart of gold. Flipping those tropes into what presents itself as a high-functioning family is no small feat. Though it could be said Alexander is overacting in the true horror-based scenes, it’s only the mechanics of playing someone who is possessed that limits her performance; it’s a difficult task for even the most seasoned actor. In the scenes where she is in her right mind, she is a revelation as an actress. She is meditative, believable, and very charming. The sky is the limit for Ms. Alexander.
Ruth Paxton and David Liddell came to play and, from the opening scene, it’s easy to see the film is in safe hands. A Banquet is well lit, well shot, and visually engaging. Tight tracking shots on Duncan as she blows the story wide open are just the cherry on top of a movie that does not try to wow viewers with camera tricks, but instead relies on tried and true filmmaking, as well as great aesthetic decisions from the production design. The family home is modern and welcoming in the way many horror films are, but at no point does this become a distracting “evil house” or “they are trapped” film.
The whole film is dimly lit, with flat, gray, black, and white undertones that bring out the somber nature of the father’s suicide. In contrast, the food Holly cooks jumps off the screen and is filmed like an episode of Chop’d directed by David Fincher. It’s so gorgeous viewers won’t notice that it’s evil and perfect and killing people. The cast of A Banquet is in a tight groove and everyone behind the camera has the same vision. From the set design to the way the food is lit, no aspect of the filmmaking process is overlooked. There are a few literal eye-rolling moments, but they do not distract from the final product. A Banquet is a beautifully made psychological thriller with nuanced performances and a gross hook.
A Banquet released in select theaters and on demand February 18. The film is 97 minutes long and is not rated.
