The Woman in the Yard (2025) Film Review: An unsettling exploration of grief
- reeltalkin'
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Following the tragic loss of husband and father, David (Russel Hornsby), single mum Romana (Danielle Deadwyller) is left on their family farm to bring up her two children, teenage son Taylor (Peyton Jackson) and daughter Annie (Estella Kahiha).
However, when a mysterious lady (Okwui Okpokwasili), eerily reminiscent of The Woman in Black, appears in their front yard with the chilling warning: "Today's the day...", the family experience an intense, hellish afternoon as they attempt to discover the identity of the woman and what danger she may pose to them.
A combination of both supernatural and psychological horror, director Jaume Collet-Serra, who is most well known for his mind-bending thriller Orphan (2009), delivers a genuinely scary, yet thought-provoking big screen experience which will linger in the mind days after a first watch. The movie has so far been fairly polarizing with critics and audiences, with some viewers feeling the pacing is too slow and the plot too convoluted. Whilst these are fair criticisms, the movie dabbles with complex, dark themes of grief, identity following loss, and motherhood in a touching, intelligent manner.
BAFTA nominee Deadwyler fully commits to the role of the mother, with her character needing to use crutches following the fateful car crash that took away her husband, portraying a vulnerability and authenticity that makes her easily relatable (especially when her kids are driving her up the wall!). The young actors chosen to play her children were both perfect in their roles, with Jackson effectively embodying the headstrong, rebellious son who is also protective of her sweet little sister, and Kahiha handling the demanding source material with ease despite her young age.
Okpokwasili was an inspired casting choice for the titular woman haunting the family. The actress, with her grand height and striking features, creates a powerful, often spine-tingling presence as she pursues our leads. The sublime cinematography further enhances the creepy factor with some great use of shadows chasing the characters like a ghastly figure in a haunted house story. Dreamlike, disorientating sequences feature Romana and the woman interacting, with a lingering sense of dread and foreboding always hanging low over our family. The film challenges its viewers with complicated, often questionable imagery; inviting us to gather our own interpretations of who the woman is and what becomes of the family.
Deeply unsettling and captivating with its rich, thematic storytelling and believable performances from the whole cast, The Woman in the Yard succeeds on almost all levels with its complex exploration of bereavement, making a solid mark on this year's horror output.
Check out the trailer for The Woman in the Yard below and let me know what you thought of the film down in the comments!
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