FILM REVIEW - KNOCKING (DIRECTOR: FRIDA KEMPFF)

film review - Knocking (Director: Frida Kempff)

23/10/2021

Lean, mean and psychologically keen, Knocking is a solid debut feature for Kempff anchored by a volatile performance by Cecilia Milocco. Horror fiends may find the implicit nature of the proceedings a bit lacking (aka not enough gore), but the craftsmanship more than makes up for it. In other words, this one is worth a watch.

Knocking

A woman leaves a psychiatric ward after a nervous breakdown, only to start hearing mysterious knocking sounds in her apartment.

Director: Frida Kempff
Writers: Emma Broström, based on the novel by Johan Theorin
Starring: Cecilia Milocco, Albin Grenholm, Ville Virtanen

In order to give what we believe to be a more unbiased constructive criticism of the piece, the members of Bloodhound Pix are tackling each review as a panel of three. None of the members know the others’ thoughts on the content until after they submit their initial response.

Initial Reaction

J. This film is a lot of what I would call "my shit." It's 100% psychological, which I wish I would see more of in the good 'ol U.S. of A. God bless the Swedes for doing it. The story is very much a character study of Molly, someone who is released from a mental institution and reintegrating into normal life. It plays out a lot like Polanski's The Tenant and Repulsion, which are both very much "my shit." As Molly is readjusting, she moves into an apartment building where strange shit seems to be the norm. Knocking (hehe) is heard above her and she's convinced it's morse code. Neighbors seem somewhat nice, but also somewhat assholish. She hears voices coming through... vents I guess and nothing is ever quite what it seems, especially when Molly's psyche is front and center. The character is in every shot of the movie and because we know that she may not be mentally stable, we question everything along with her. Nothing really reinvents the wheel in terms of psychological thrills and terror but it's handled very well. Things do get repetitive but there are some amazing looking compositions and shots and camera set-ups so that's definitely something. The script is structured in an odd way that I didn't really think was necessary and by that I mean, flashbacks and such to Molly's sort of traumatic catalyst. Things don't necessarily wrap up in all that coherent a manner either but the gist of what this is going for is there. We only identify with Molly and are we sure things are real? Are we sure things are really happening? Are we sure Molly isn't completely nuts? We aren't quite sure but the journey is engaging and at 78 minutes long, that's a helluva breezy runtime to do it in.

K. Knocking follows Molly (Cecilia Milocco) after her release from a psychiatric treatment facility. She moves into an apartment and readjusts to normal life. There’s a hint of some tragedy in her past regarding a former lover, but it’s never spelled out (which is a good thing). She seems to be doing well with the transition when she begins to hear a knocking from the apartment above her and it seems no one else in the building hears it. This raises the question of Molly’s psychological well being, which the film plays with from then on. I love these kinds of psychological thrillers because the questioning of whether or not what’s happening is real or not is a fertile sandbox for filmmaking.

Molly descends into a kind of madness trying to decipher the origin of the knocking and confront it. The film recalls the best of Polanski’s apartment horror films (Repulsion, Rosemary’s Baby and The Tenant). A protagonist, more or less confined to a single location, slipping into isolation and madness.

Cecilia Milocco carries the film with a natural presence and vulnerability that immediately draws you in and makes you care and worry for her. It’s a standout performance. Frida Kempff’s direction utilizes the limitations of the story and budget to create a highly charged sensory experience of Molly’s subjective state. The performances and direction make the small scale feel like a strength rather than a weakness. It’s one of the best made psychological horror films I’ve seen in a long time.

Response

K. Lean, mean and psychologically keen, Knocking is a solid debut feature for Kempff anchored by a volatile performance by Cecilia Milocco. Horror fiends may find the implicit nature of the proceedings a bit lacking (aka not enough gore), but the craftsmanship more than makes up for it. In other words, this one is worth a watch.

J. If you know going in what subgenre you’re gonna get, and are a fan of the aforementioned Polanski stuff, you’ll definitely appreciate this one.

Bloodhound’s average score: 4 out of 5

Bloodhound Pix is made up of: Craig Draheim, Josh Lee, and Kyle Hintz