Bring Her Back Review

Grief is a transformative force. It distorts the mind, twisting it into places we could never imagine. This subject is becoming familiar territory for filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou. Yet, the path they embark on in Bring Her Back differs from the cruel chaos of Talk to Me. A mother’s grief unlocks the most monstrous parts of her psyche, taking the audience to unimaginably dark places that they may never be able to escape once the credits start rolling.

The Philippous toss the audience and their characters headfirst into the deep end within the film’s opening scenes—a cult ritual gone gruesome cuts to a scene of normality. Older brother Andy (Billy Barratt) picks up his younger sister, Piper (Sora Wong), from the bus stop, which amounts to the last vestiges of happiness the two will share for the remainder of Bring Her Back. Everything falls apart when the two get home, with Andy discovering his father’s body.

With no living relatives, the two are left to contend with the Southern Australian foster system. Andy is only a couple of months shy of turning 18, so he can’t become Piper’s guardian just yet. Instead, he has to prove to his new foster mother, Laura (Sally Hawkins), and the system that he has what it takes to take responsibility without issue. Unbeknownst to Andy and Piper, Laura has other plans for the two, but none are good.

From the start, something is unnerving about the former counselor. It is presented in the little comments she makes, with some passive-aggressive and needling, but also in how she crosses boundaries with Andy and the selectively mute and undeniably off-putting foster child Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips).

If we’re giving out awards to movie villains of the year, Sally Hawkins‘ Laura is easily a top contender for the crown. The screenplay, written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman, takes its time eking out her motivations and inducing dread. Hawkins plays around with Laura’s dubious nature, luxuriating in the subtleties before going in for the kill. By the time her true motivations are revealed, it’s too late. It’s the horror of human nature at its finest.

But horror takes many forms in Bring Her Back, with Jonah Wren Phillips taking center stage in the eeriness department. With just a stare, Phillips pierces the soul. And as the recipient of the bulk of the film’s most excruciating, toe-curling moments, he is the vessel of our viewing discomfort.

The one beacon of hope is Andy and Piper’s relationship. Billy Barrett earnestly portrays Andy’s emotional turmoil. He’s vulnerable in his suffering and honest, not yet seeing the traps his foster mother is setting three steps ahead. In scenes with Sora Wong, their chemistry is impeccable, and so is the camaraderie that comes with growing up with one another.

Both are trapped, thrust into a new situation. Danny and Michael Philippou denote this in their physical and symbolic choices throughout. Laura’s home is isolated in the middle of nowhere, making it difficult for anyone to escape.

Pouring water is almost a weapon in the film. For Andy, showers are traumatizing, trapping his mind into reliving the moment his dad died. Rain physically traps everyone indoors. Circular motions calm Oliver, but they keep him from veering off course.

These things come together to create something difficult to look away from. It’s a slow-moving train toward guaranteed destruction, with each scene ramping up further anxieties. Even when Bring Her Back stumbles slightly in its frenetic final act and the supernatural distracts more than aids in its eventual execution, there’s an undeniable cruelty that sticks. And that stickiness is hard to wipe off.

Bring Her Back is an undeniable psychological lesson in torment and unease. Upon further examination, it likely didn’t need the supernatural components played with throughout the narrative. It’s almost a crutch when considering how much the film’s strengths reside in the characters’ complexity and interactions.

Whether or not people agree with my perspective, one thing is clear: Bring Her Back is another successful venture for Danny and Michael Philippou. It is flinch-inducing and relishes in its meanness and ickiness, making this a refreshing horror outing. That and a possible trip to a heavily vetted therapist after.

BRING HER BACK REVIEW SCORE: 8.5 OUT OF 10

A24 will release Bring Her Back in theaters on Friday, May 30, 2025. The film is rated R for strong disturbing bloody violent content, some grisly images, graphic nudity, underage drinking and language.