REGRESSION
Spain/ Canada, 2015, 106 minutes, Colour.
Ethan Hawke, Emma Watson, David Thewliss, Lothaire Bluteau, Dale Dickey, David Dencik, Devon Bostick, Aaron Ashmore, Peter Mac Neil.
Directed by Alejandro Amenebar.
Regression is a psychological term for this film and its themes, a focus on memories, repressed memories and the therapy used to recover memories, a regression into the past. However, while the film shows a psychologist and his techniques and interviews, hypnotism, for recovering memories, a lot of the practice is rejected and under suspicion.
The was written and directed by the Spanish director, Alejandro Amernbar, best known for his is films, Open Your Eyes, The Others, The Sea Inside. With the first two films, he is interested in psychological dimensions of human experience and memories and draws on them here.
The setting is the 1990s in the state of Minnesota, a spate of Satanism which the FBI investigates as do local police, especially when there are accusations of sexual abuse within a family, a father abusing his daughter and context of Satanic rituals.
Ethan Hawke portrays a detective in the town, becoming more and more emotionally obsessed with the situation, disgusted with the accusations, trying to be a saviour to the young girl victim but with a rage inside himself leading to all kinds of ultra-vivid nightmares about Satanism and the rituals.
David Thewliss portrays the psychologist who collaborates with the detective in interviewing the accused father, in speculating, as does the father, about the memories he cannot bring to surface while admitting the behaviour. Emma Watson portrays the young girl, subject of the abuse, while Devon Bostick portrays her brother whom his father had rejected because of homosexuality. Dale Dickey is the grandmother who tries to deal with the family disturbances.
There are complications within the police force, especially with the detective's partner, played by Aaron Ashmore, who is arrested for the abuse.
As the investigation becomes more intense, the young woman is shielded in a church by the local Reverend, (Lothaire Bluteau from Jesus of Montréal and Black Robe). The detective is particularly critical of religion and the focus on evil and Satanism.
There is a final twist when the reality is much more mundane, the girl angry with her family and making false accusations, being taken up by the Reverend, by the media.
The film is very similar in theme to the television movie, Forgotten Sins (1996), John Shea is a local detective accused of abusing his daughter, arrested, admitting the abuse but unable to remember it, her being shielded by the church, but the reality being conspiracy of accusations by the daughter.
1. The title, expectations? Mystery? Satanic rituals?
2. Based on actual events? The US, the 1990s? The spate of reports of Satanism?
3. The work of the director, Spanish perspective, working in Canada? His reputation and body of work?
4. The background of Satanism, audience attitudes? In the different American churches? The religious dimension? The diabolical and the presence of evil? Satan, the traditions, the visual images, Satanism? Covens? Rituals, the garb, the dark, candles, sacrificial victims, blood, Black Masses? As visualised here? The FBI and police investigations? Ultimately finding no evidence? The spate of Satanic groups dying out?
5. Psychological background of the film, sexual abuse, memories, repressed memories, false memories? Hysteria, a community creating memories, suggestions? Guilt and motivation?
6. The family, John, going to the police, praying in the car, Angela's accusations against him, confessing, but not remembering? His relationship with his daughter, his absent son? With his mother? His being interrogated by Bruce? By the psychiatrist? His bewilderment, regretting not being able to remember? His son and his homosexuality, his father alienating him? The role of the Reverend, the church?
7. Bruce, the local police, as the detective, his chief, the accusations of abuse, his determination to get to the bottom of the case, his emotional involvement, hypertension, his dreams and his becoming the victim of the Satanic rituals, the characters, the woman on the advertisement the hoarding and the soup, his being humiliated, tortured, his panic in waking? The interrogation of George, his disowning him? The other members of the force? George in jail, getting out, he and the associate bashing Bruce? Bruce and religion, the encounters with the Reverend, discussions about faith, evil, agnosticism?
8. The Reverend, his church, conscious of evil? His giving shelter to Angela?
9. Angela, her age, accusations of abuse by her father? Sheltered in the church? Her meeting with Bruce, her innocence, the attraction to Bruce? Her memories, Satanism, her father, her grandmother, her brother? Getting Bruce's help?
10. The grandmother, her relationship with the rest of the family, her becoming caught up in the Satanism, her throwing herself out the window?
11. The FBI, the investigations, the police work, the superintendent? The meetings with the police, disbelief in Satanism, the routines of police work?
12. The psychologist, his background, his personality and techniques, interest in memories, repressed memories? The use of hypnotism? The variety of interviews, with John, the discussions with Bruce?
13. The son coming back, his alienation, the clash with his father, the background of homosexuality and his being condemned?
14. The discussion with George, the reality of Angela, sexual encounters, rape, abortion? Bruce and his beginning to doubt?
15. The challenge from Angela, the fact that she resented her family, her false accusations? Her turning on Bruce? Her father still prepared to take the guilt even knowing the truth?
16. The media, books and publications, the book by the previous victim? Angela and her going on talk shows? Not being prosecuted?
17. The film's comment on Satanism, mass hysteria? Malicious accusations and the consequences? And the role of repressed memories, falls memories?
