Things Heard & Seen is a 2021 American horror mystery film about a Manhattan artist who relocates to the Hudson Valley with her husband. However, she begins to suspect her marriage has a darkness that rivals the history of her new home.
Written and directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, based on the novel All Things Cease to Appear by author Elizabeth Brundage.
The movie stars Amanda Seyfried, Karen Allen, Rhea Seehorn, Natalia Dyer and James Norton.
[May contain spoilers] Reviews:
“A third act layer to the supernatural that feels underdeveloped and unearned. There’s a solid idea at the core, but it struggles to juggle the underbaked plot threads and characters surrounding it. It aspires to be a mystery but can’t wring any tension to fuel it.” Bloody Disgusting
“Things Heard & Said isn’t as scary as it could be, finding the real suspense of the picture, involving George’s behavior, often dialed down to deal with the presence of specters […] The feature goes for cheap thrills, but it’s most inspired with shadowy, manipulative people exposed to the light of day.” Blu-ray.com
“As comical as the performance of James Norton becomes, there’s also not much in the script to really tap into to make it work. The last 30 minutes are astoundingly bad and this is one of the rare examples where I can’t imagine the book being any better. It turns the whole movie into a thing I wish I hadn’t heard or seen.” Flickering Myth
“There were moments of this movie that I loved. And I definitely enjoyed the performance from the entire cast. My main issue was the ending and – to a lesser degree – the fact that the first hour was relatively tame in terms of horror. It didn’t feel slow, however…” Heaven of Horror
“Things Heard & Seen is highly watchable, with an effective 40 minutes or so of character-driven buildup grounded in Seyfried’s sympathetic performance. But Berman and Pulcini’s failure to generate suspense becomes problematic during a second-half that settles into standard psycho-spouse thriller rhythms with some half-assed ghost-story and feminist elements tossed in.” The Hollywood Reporter
“There did not appear to be a resolution […] Despite the hard work put into the film by the cast, the screenplay and execution of it greatly undermined any sort of payoff that the viewer could have. That is the most significant detriment of this film.” Nightmarish Conjurings
“Berman and Pulcini attempted to make a horror movie that stands out from much of what the genre has to offer these days, and certainly succeeded in that venture. Its thematic musings are not as consistently profound and engaging as they may have wanted, but Things Heard & Seen is well-acted and compelling enough regardless that I can give it a solid recommendation to horror diehards and neophytes alike.” The People’s Movies
“Considering the film runs for two hours, it’s surprising how character perspectives and the concept were not solidified. The narrative throws in many tropes, hoping for the audience to be happy with it. If you are a fan of the cast, it may be worth giving Things Heard & Seen a chance; however, if not, then this will be a waste of your time.” Ready Steady Cut
“Despite a promising beginning that attempts to split the difference between supernatural horror and domestic drama, the by-now obligatory pre-Internet 20th-century setting (1980), and an overabundance of intriguing, weighty ideas about art, spirituality, and the afterlife, Things Heard & Seen fails on practically every level…” Screen Anarchy
Release date:
Things Heard & Seen will be released globally on Netflix on Friday, April 30th, 2021.
Main cast and characters:
Amanda Seyfried … Catherine Clare
Karen Allen … Mare Laughton
Rhea Seehorn … Justine Sokolov
Natalia Dyer … Willis
James Norton … George Clare
F. Murray Abraham … Floyd DeBeers
Michael O’Keefe … Travis Laughton
James Urbaniak … Bram
Alex Neustaedter … Eddy Lucks
Jack Gore … Cole
Michael Abbott Jr. … Calvin Vayle
Kelcy Griffin … Lynne
Cotter Smith … Tom Clare
Ana Sophia Heger … Franny Clare
Elliot Frances Flynn … Mrs Smit
Dawn McGee … Actress
Polly Lee … Librarian
Joey Auzenne … Husband #1
Joe Lanza Joe Lanza … Andy
Charlotte Maier … Peg
Marion McCorry … Milicent
Technical details:
121 minutes
Trailer:
Explained:
