Georgia Conlan is set to be the name on everyone’s lips at this year’s Pigeon Shrine FrightFest. Her turn in Charlotte is simply sensational, but Conlan isn’t just a good actor as she also directed the film and co-wrote the script with Martin Hardwick. Charlotte is also sure to get attendees talking due to the dark themes and plot points that it explores. Opening in the late hours, young girl Charlotte (Conlan) flees her abusive household. Lost along her escape she knocks on the first door that she sees. This belongs to loner Roy (Dean Kilbey), a man content to live on the outskirts of town. Seeing the distressed young girl, he provides her with sanctuary for the night, but when Charlotte remains in the days after, the pair’s relationship begins to evolve, placing both on a very dangerous and uncomfortable path.
Whereas other films screening at FrightFest deal with more fanciful notions of alien invasions and monsters, Charlotte has a far more human component to its terror. The scenario presented is one that could, and aspects of it certainly do, happen on a regular basis. It is this real world relevance that makes Charlotte one of the more chilling films amongst the FrightFest line-up this year. Feeding the real world sensation further are two authentic performances from the leading cast. As Charlotte, Georgia Conlan is breathtaking. She fully embodies her role of a broken young teenager. Her jaded innocence and haunted eyes stare out at the viewer, immediately drawing them in and generating concern for her. Conlan’s face is beautifully expressive and she uses it to wear Charlotte’s heart on her sleeve. Her inability to mask her emotions, be they upset, fearful or otherwise, makes her an open book.
In perfect contrast to Charlotte’s open vulnerability, as Roy, Dean Kilbey paints on a stoic poker face. The inability to read him unnerves the viewer and despite his good natured care for Charlotte, an air of mistrust remains. Decisions he makes surrounding the girl’s welfare drive these feelings further, with Kilbey an expert in keeping the audience on their toes about his character. Whether he is friend or foe is a thought constantly swimming around the viewer’s head, and the eventual answer opens up even more questions.
In addition to being a star in front of the camera, Conlan also wields the camera itself with aplomb. Her desire to keep the colour palette muted, and camera angles more traditional, perpetuates the naturalistic vibe found within the performance. Whilst Conlan doesn’t trouble herself with adding in a ton of cheap camera techniques and stylish flourishes, she is a master at generating tension. Right from the moment that Charlotte knocks on Roy’s door, the audience is on tenterhooks. Conlan then continues to deftly collect and increase this feeling, until it is almost overwhelming. Her ability to create enough tension to suck the air out of the room is exceptional, and here’s hoping that she continues to work within the area of dark thrillers as it is a format in which she clearly thrives.
The final ingredient to the success of Charlotte is its location. Transplanting the story from the busy streets of London to the remote areas of the countryside works effectively. Not only does the isolation increase the feeling of threat, it also proves that sinister events occur just as much outside of big cities, if not more so. Whilst in the city there is a greater sense of anonymity, if you retreat far enough into the country, those around you simply forget that you exist. The house inside which much of Charlotte unfolds is also important. As the story progresses, the structure begins to reflect Roy. Simultaneously warm, welcoming and cosy, and cold, sterile and lonely, the building is a perfect mirror for the man with ambiguous motives.
A film hiding far more secrets than one would think, Charlotte is an absorbing cat and mouse story, where the roles intersect and interchange enough that the viewer is always one step behind. The ultimate joy (and given the context of some scenes and themes, that term is used loosely) comes in the final moments as the whole picture comes into view. The journey however, is not easy thanks to two incredible lead performances that have the viewer’s hearts in their throats, as well as Conlan’s ability to generate crippling tension from just one glance of a character. Deservedly a highlight of this year’s FrightFest, Charlotte might not be a conventional horror, but is easily the most toe curling film of the festival.
Charlotte
Summary
With Charlotte, Georgia Conlan announces herself as a star, both in front of, and behind the camera. Charlotte is bold in its ideas and pitch black in its execution, creating a viewing experience that will have anxiety levels soaring.
Charlotte was reviewed at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest 2024.
