EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE/ YOU BELONG TO ME

US, 2021, 105 minutes, Colour.

Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Sam Claflin, Veronica Ferres, India Isley, Emily Allyn Lind, Vincent Gale, Lilly Krug.

Directed by Vaughn Stein.

There is a whole tradition of thrillers where by a stranger comes to a household, ingratiates himself, turns everything upside down, destructive. This is one of those thrillers.

It is based on a premise that most psychologists would condemn, that a psychiatrist, in sessions with a client, would decide that instead of listening and asking questions, he would actually tell his own life story as a means of drawing out the client’s own story. That being the case, and the client writing down her memories of the conversations, some dire consequences follow.

The film is set in Washington State (though filmed in British Columbia), plenty of rain, clouds, brooding mountains. Just for the mood for this story. The psychiatrist in question, Philip, is played by Casey Affleck (more prominent as an actor since his Oscar-winning Manchester by the Sea). His life and emotions are quite complicated by the death of his son in a car accident, the scene with which the film opens. He is married to his second wife, Grace (Michelle Monaghan), who is stepmother to his daughter, Lucy (India Isley).

So, a household with grief tensions for some years. And the effect on Lucy is her experimenting with cocaine and being expelled from school, dressing in Goth style, a disgruntled teenager.

Then the news that the client has killed herself, that Philip will be subject to scrutiny by the University Board, relying on his friend and associate, Vanessa (Veronica Ferres).

And, then the brother of the client arrives, James (Sam Claflin), grieving, packing up his sister’s house, returning a book to Philip, kindly invited to a meal, Grace offering to help in the sale of his sister’s house, Lucy intrigued.

James, of course, is a mystery. He is able to exert charm. But, what are his motivations? What are his intentions?

All building up, course, to some high melodramatic confrontations.

1. The tone of the title? Applied to the central characters?
2. The Washington State setting, the mountains, clouds and rain? The city, University, offices, psychiatrist’s rooms, homes? Outings, countryside and roads? The musical score?
3. The psychology atmosphere of the film? Philip and his profession? Vanessa, colleague, supervision? The sessions with Daphne? The talk to the students? Philip’s method with Daphne, ethics? The repercussions? Reports to the board?
4. The prologue, Grace and Evan in the car, the bond between them, mother and son, the crash, the sudden death?
5. The years and aftermath, Philip, his marriage to Grace, fathering Evan, Lucy as his daughter, Grace as her stepmother? The tensions in the house? Each keeping to themselves? Lucy, school, cocaine, expelled? Her Gothic look? The meals, James and his visit? The daily life in the house?
6. Grace, real estate agent, her business, success, clients? Some alienation from Philip? Meeting James, later meeting him, the discussion about selling the house? Her return to reject him, the sexual encounter, the consequences? His interfering with her car, offering help, abducting her, the drive, the injuries? Her reconciliation with Philip, confessing the truth, forgiveness? Her continued concern about Lucy?
7. Philip, the sessions with Daphne, her enthusiasm, the conversation as a friend, telling his story, her writing it all down, the fact that James would read it? Daphne and the death of her friend, upset, phoning Philip? Her suicide? Philip’s response to the death of Daphne?
8. James, his arrival, the background in England, Daphne’s brother, grief? Returning the book to Philip? The invitation to the meal? His subsequent behaviour with Grace? Seducing Lucy, the outings, the promises, to go away with her? His reporting Philip to the authorities?
9. James, the revelation of his madness, his true identity, reading the text, reaction to Philip, wanting to get him, the stranger disrupting the household, seductions? The episode with the car, the abduction, reckless? Committing himself, wanting to talk to Philip, the interview, the witnesses? His getting away? Going to the house, his past treatment of Lucy, not answering her calls, wanting to take away, his vicious turning against her?
10. Philip and Grace arriving, the struggle, Grace hitting him? The family free?
11. Vanessa, her husband, colleague, concern, Philip and Grace at meals? Handling the complaints? Witnessing James’s interview?
12. Variations on the story of the stranger entering into a family’s life, seductions and disruption, destruction?