In the last few years there have been a couple of interesting horror movies that focused on servitude like The Maid (2020), and Nanny (2022). Raging Grace continues this (hopefully growing), trend by following in Nanny’s footsteps and adding anxiety around immigration to the mix. The tale of an illegal immigrant (Joy – coincidentally also the name of The Maid‘s protagonist), striving for a better life in the UK while negotiating systemic prejudices that threaten her daily life is particularly pertinent these days. With media and public attention focused on the treatment of asylum seekers, describing the film as a “coming-of-rage” story suggests that it doesn’t shy away from political statements.
With an illegal immigrant and her daughter as central characters, it’s clear where the film’s sympathies lie, and the opening montage of Joy (Max Eigenmann), working her various jobs seems to reinforce this. Under the constant observation and scrutiny of her white, well-off employers, their (broad but no less accurate), microaggressions are both satirically humorous (such as one employer talking about going around Asian countries like Kenya), and unnerving – the latter particularly emphasised by Jon Clarke’s stress-inducing score. Joy’s problems are further compounded by her daughter, Grace (Jaeden Paige Boadilla), whose Matilda-like antics such as pulling pranks and disobeying her mother’s instructions toe the line between annoying and believably childish.
Both the writing and the excellent performances by Max Eigenmann and Jaeden Paige Boadilla lend a believability to the mother-daughter relationship, striking a balance between sentimentality and brittleness.
Once the context for Joy’s stresses are established, the film begins its central plot with a friend asking her to check on a Mr Garrett (David Hayman). Through a series of events, she ends up being employed by his niece, Katherine (Leanne Best), who immediately sets you on edge with her initial passive aggression and her obsession with routine. As you would expect, secrets are gradually revealed that put Joy and Grace into increasingly perilous situations.
While there are some creaky narrative contrivances to get to its ending, the filmmakers have clearly put as much thought into the windy plot as they have for the unnerving atmosphere. There’s no subtlety in the political commentary, but the film is none-the-less captivating for it as it shows its nasty, vindictive nature by following through on its takedown of white British supremacy built off the back of colonialism. In some of the later action this focus risks having Joy and Grace’s character arcs getting lost in the mix, but it pulls it together by the end.
Both the writing and the excellent performances by Max Eigenmann and Jaeden Paige Boadilla lend a believability to the mother-daughter relationship, striking a balance between sentimentality and brittleness. Joy’s desire to keep her daughter safe results in Grace wanting to explore what is being kept hidden from her, and while they may argue, their love and support for each other is never questionable. The film shines when the action is focused on mother and daughter finding their way through the precarious situations they find themselves in.
It is easy to point out some flaws in this first feature, but on the whole it’s a strong debut that is strikingly original in its style and storytelling. Whether Zarcilla will continue in the horror genre will be interesting to see as he evidently has the chops to do so, having managed to balance brains with heart. I can well imagine that, once the film reaches a larger audience, it strikes a chord with the current moment as an unsettling highlight of just how little has changed.
