Movie Breakdown: His House

Pre-Screening Stance:

Even if the trailer for His House hadn’t caught my attention, I’d be up for watching it based solely on the fact that it stars Wunmi Mosaku. I remain undecided on the quality of HBO’s Lovecraft Country, but if anything is certain about the show, it’s that she was the best part of it. What a commanding presence.

Post-Screening Ramble:

His House is easily the best horror movie I’ve seen in 2020. Bol (Sope Dirisu) and Rial (Wunmi Mosaku) are immigrants from Sudan who have just been given a mighty gift, or at least that’s what the British government is selling it as. In reality, it’s a very rundown home in a rough area of town, but since the couple lost their daughter as they were making their way to the UK, they’re at least allowed to live on their own (instead of being put in a shared space with other immigrants). Things start out fine, but they take a turn when the house flexes an evil side.

This movie is only 90 minutes long and it moves swiftly, but it’s surprisingly robust. There aren’t just scares abound, there’s also a really heavy story. As much as Bol and Rial are dealing with whatever supernatural force has decided to shack up with them, they’re having to come to terms with leaving their home and with the various losses they’ve endured along the way. So, in between the moments that’ll have you gasping, there’s a lot of serious issues at play, with the main one being survivor’s guilt. Bol and Rial made it, and now they have to make it, which means that even though they’re in a situation that they very much need to get out of, they can’t. The claustrophobia is real.

It’s Halloween weekend, which is the perfect time for His House to arrive on Netflix. I highly recommend that you put it on your watch-list!

One Last Thought:

Wunmi Mosaku is someone who’s clearly already on the upswing, but I suspect that Sope Dirisu will be as well before too long. He’s fantastic in this.