Men 2017

In this haunting film, Harper Marlowe (Jessie Buckley) is introduced as she stares pensively out of her window, just as her husband James (Paapa Essiedu) tragically falls to his death. The opening scene leaves viewers with a chilling impression that their gazes briefly meet at the moment of his fall. Seeking solace, Harper retreats to a remote countryside house for a much-needed vacation. Upon her arrival, she meets Geoffrey (Rory Kinnear), the enigmatic caretaker who gives her a detailed tour of the property. During their conversation, Geoffrey inquires about a Mr. Marlowe, prompting Harper to evasively mention she is divorced, keeping her true circumstances hidden.

As her stay progresses, Harper maintains contact with her sister Riley ([Gayle Rankin]), primarily through video chat. However, the connection becomes unsettling as static and flickering images distort the conversation, revealing a screaming face on the screen. Flashbacks reveal Harper’s turbulent past, including a tense and emotional confrontation with James, during which she declares her intent to divorce him. James’s reaction spirals into a disturbing threat—he claims he will take his own life to leave her haunted by guilt. Despite Harper’s insistence that she’s made her decision, their argument turns violent; James becomes physically abusive before he ultimately throws himself out a window, crashing onto a fence and succumbing to his injuries.

During her explorations of the rural surroundings, Harper finds moments of peace and joy, even jokingly making musical echo sounds inside a tunnel. However, her serenity is shattered when a naked man approaches her from the other side of the tunnel, prompting her to flee back to the house. She cautiously calls the police, and the man is subsequently arrested, but not before unsettling her deeply. Her sense of safety continues to erode, especially when she encounters a brusque schoolboy who makes crude remarks, and she discusses her emotional state with a local vicar, who dismissively suggests her guilt over James’s death might be something she provoked. Harper dismisses his advice with hostility.

Later, Harper visits a local pub and encounters Geoffrey again, alongside the police officer involved in the naked man’s arrest. The officer reports that the man was released due to insufficient evidence, fueling Harper’s frustration and suspicion. When she prepares to leave the house, her camera repeatedly cuts out, heightening her paranoia. Outside, she sees the police officer, but as the lights flicker, the officer morphs into the schoolboy—who chases Harper in a terrifying pursuit. The situation deteriorates further as a window shatters, but it is revealed to be caused by a flying crow, which Geoffrey then ends suffering. However, the chaos intensifies when Geoffrey appears to transform into the naked man once again, pursuing Harper into the house.

In a desperate struggle, Harper stabs the man, who then reveals a gruesome, surreal sight: he begins to give birth to the schoolboy, who is then replaced by the vicar, followed by Geoffrey. The nightmare culminates in the appearance of James, who simply states he desires her love, a demand she cannot meet. Harper is pushed to her limits as the other bizarre entities continue to emerge from these grotesque reproductive events. The climax is marked by violence and disorientation, culminating in Harper being found by Riley the next morning—who follows a bloody trail to discover Harper smiling eerily, embodying both catharsis and lingering menace.

This film, rich in symbolism and psychological horror, explores themes of guilt, repression, and the haunting nature of past traumas. Harper’s journey through the house becomes a surreal nightmare that blurs the lines between reality and her subconscious, leaving viewers with an unforgettable impression of dread and unresolved tension.