Hallow Road

Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys face every parent’s worst nightmare in this taut, folk horror–infused two-hander.

Maddie (Rosamund Pike) and Frank (Matthew Rhys) wake up to a chilling call from their daughter, Alice (Megan McDonnell, Normal People), in the dead of night. After storming out of their house earlier that evening following a family argument, she’s hit a pedestrian on a remote forest road an hour’s drive away. Racing to Alice’s location, the couple clash as they frantically advise their distraught daughter over the phone. Maddie, a paramedic, talks Alice through CPR, while Frank insists they avoid calling the police, fearing the consequences. Just when they think the situation can’t get any worse, another voice appears on the line – Alice is not alone.

Working from a razor-sharp debut feature script by William Gillies, director Babak Anvari (Under the Shadow, MIFF 2016) crafts a white-knuckle psychodrama that plays out almost entirely from the interior of Maddie and Frank’s car. Pike and Rhys are captivating as the desperate parents, capably steering this claustrophobic, morally knotty thrill ride. Stay through the end credits for a final flourish that will keep you unpacking this nightmare for days.

“Brilliant performances, a smart, unpredictable script and tight, precise direction from Anvari. An unsettling ride worth taking.” – Empire