GRAY MATTER
US, 2023, 87 minutes, Colour.
Mia Isaac, Jessica Frances Dukes, Garrett Dillahunt, Andrew Liner.
Directed by Meko Winbush.
This is part of the Project Greenlight program, background to the film is in the television series. To that extent, this is an experimental film, an opportunity for a new director, Meko Winbush. It is a horror film about special powers, supernatural, in a special group of people. Given the central character, a teenage girl, African-American, this would seem to be principally a Young Adult drama.
The film opens with a sinister situation, a woman, Ayla (Jessica Frances Dukes) confronting a policeman after a chase, threatening, the policeman killing himself. Then a transition to 15 years later, the woman now with her daughter, Aurora (Mia Isaac), protecting her daughter, homeschooling, isolation, the young girl with powers and her mother training her to exercise them, to control them. But, the rebellious daughter does sneak out of the house and encounters an agreeable young man. She meets him again, with his friends, and a terrible situation arises, Aurora unable to control her powers, the death of the young man.
She goes into frenzy, unconsciousness, and is rescued by Derek (Gareth Dilllahunt) who also has the powers and knows all about Aurora and her mother. He offers to help – and most of the film is in Aurora’s consciousness, scenes from the past appearing, her trying to control her memories, to stop Derek entering into her consciousness. And her imagination takes various forms including the dead young man, her mother, all pleading with her to reveal where her mother is. Derek, initially kindly, seems all the more sinister. Ultimately, Aurora meets her mother and explains the truth, Derek accusing her of murders, her helping Aurora go back into the past and see that Derek was responsible and has been blaming the mother and pursuing her.
Which all builds up to a confrontational climax. In many ways slight, but an interesting initial exercise for the director, a film for younger target audience.
- The title? The brain? Gray areas of responsibility?
- The basic premise, people with special powers, the control, exercise, for good and ill?
- The opening, the chase, Ayla and the confrontation with the policeman, the threats, her control, his death?
- 15 years later, mother and daughter, the mother protecting her daughter, homeschooling, the teenage girl, exercising her powers, control? Continually on the move, her mother asking her to exercise the power on moving the box of books? Aurora and her reaction?
- Aurora, rebellious teenager, the watching of the television sitcom and its themes?
- Aurora slipping out, the encounter with the young man, friendly, slipping out again, the group playing, talking, the bond with the young man, her seizure, uncontrolled, the effect on the young man, his death?
- Aurora being rescued by Derek, her bewilderment, his offering to help? Trying to into her mind, Aurora blocking him? His wanting the whereabouts of her mother? Blame for murders?
- The core of the film with Aurora’s nightmares, the various locations, situations, appearances, her mother, the dead boy…? Their all asking the whereabouts of her mother? Aurora and her resistance? The characters appearing and disappearing, Derek and his continued questions?
- Aurora eventually meeting her mother, suspicious, her mother telling her the truth, revisiting the situation, Derek and the killings, blaming the mother?
- The buildup to the final confrontation with Derek, the visuals, the drama, the superpowers? And mother and daughter safe?
