THE LODGERS

Ireland, 2017, 95 minutes, Colour.
Charlotte Vega, Bill Milner, Eugene Simon, David Bradley, Deirdre O' Kane.
Directed by Brian O' Malley.

The Lodgers is an Irish ghost story, centring on twins, Rachel and Edward, Charlotte Vega and Bill Milner, who live in a decaying mansion. There are ghostly apparitions, especially at midnight.

On the other hand, this is an Irish setting after world War one, the Irish criticising the British soldiers, a young man, Sean, Eugene Simon, returning injured from the war, seeing Rachel and attracted to her.

The twins are in debt, the manager of the estate, David Bradley, comes to visit, explaining the dire situation.

However, the narrative builds up to an attack on Sean, his being injured, yet his going back to the house to find Rachel, a confrontation with Edward, knives. The ghosts arise – and the film has quite a pessimistic ending.

1. An Irish horror story? Ghost story?

2. The setting, the Irish town, the countryside, the lake, the mansion, interiors? The streets, the shop? The early 20th century? Tombstones, 1916? The First World War, the aftermath, the British soldiers, the Irish soldiers? The musical score?

3. Rachel and Edward, twins, Rachel older and taking responsibility? By the lake, her waking, running home, the significance of midnight? The rising of the water drops? The water invading the mansion? The ghosts? Rachel and her reaction? Edward and his fears? His dependence on Rachel? Intimacy? Home scenes, breakfast, searching the house?

4. The background story, the twins, each generation, each producing twins? The image in the painting? The doom of forever having twins?

5. Rachel, going to the town, observing Kay, the young man? Going to the shop, the proprietor, antagonistic, Rachel not paying the bill?

6. Sean, the young men around town, the British soldiers, his service in the war, returning home, his mother, his sister? His wound, his leg? His seeing Rachel, following her, her reaction? Rachel pursued by the young men of the town and locking them out?

7. The letter, Mr Bermingham, administering the property, money running out, Rachel giving him the jewels, but not the locket with the parents’ pictures? Sean observing, Rachel confronting him?

8. Edward, his life, behaviour, fears, believing the worst of Rachel and Sean? Discovering the truth? His advances?

9. Rachel, the young men, Sean, the ghosts, the attack?

10. Midnight, the apparitions, Rachel seeing the ghosts rising from the lake? The water in the house? Sean coming? Going upstairs, the fight with Edward, the knife? Edward wounded? The knife through Sean’s hand? Rachel and the rescue?

11. The water, Rachel and the water, Sean diving in, trying to rescue her, his being overcome, her rising to the surface?

12. Packing her bag, leaving? What future?