Porcelain (2024)


REVIEWER RATING: 
9/10

DIRECTOR:

CAST:


Another crazy killer doll flick, huh?
Not quite.
Not at all.

Elise (Cinaglia) and her boyfriend’s plans to vacation in Hawaii are halted abruptly when she receives a late-night call that her dad just died. Reluctantly, Elise tells her beau Caleb (Johnson) of the news and worst yet…she needs to go back home to Philadelphia. Yeah, I would be depressed about going to Philly, too.

As they approach the middle-class colonial home, the estate lawyer Sam (Marrero) meets the young couple, where he walks them through the house of knickknacks, old furniture and one hell of a doll collection. Explaining that most of them belonged to her mother, Elise’s story becomes chilling with the potential horror of mysterious circumstances surrounding her mom’s passing at an early age, and the derived estrangement between her and dad afterwards.

The uneasy edge from being back in this house takes a creepy turn once the nightmares begin, rocking chairs move and voices intrude Elise’s mind, sending her into a frantic despondency to a paralyzing degree. Unable to provide an explanation to Caleb, these delusions are brushed off as nothing to despair and she carries on packing up boxes of dolls before anything else.

While the suspense builds through painful memories of Elise’s first love Milo after running into him at a local store, Caleb’s vulnerable state shifts to that of outward concern for her wellbeing and…a touch of jealousy. Who is Milo? What is triggering Elise’s mood swings? And why is she so desperate to get away from this house?

The spooky setting encompassing the house takes its toll on Caleb who starts searching for answers for all the secrets being kept. Hunter Johnson brings Caleb’s defenseless demeanor into a caregiver style once he witnesses a full-on meltdown which could lead to a suicidal ending for his beloved. He NEEDS to rescue her, but how?

Nicole Cinaglia’s multi-talents of writing, direction and performance are the trifecta I’ve been looking for in a character’s psychotic collapse based on childhood trauma. Elise walks the thin line between fantasy and reality through each hallucination and manifestation to determine what really happened in this American Horror Story - Murder House replica. From the wild-eyed, smiley neighbor to the return of her long-lost love, the evil entity residing in the home invites her fear to surface while dragging her present-day status into the ugly past. The vicious cycle opens the gates to a distressing childhood that was once tucked away, but now wants to emerge. And while Elise submerges into her relived ordeal, Hunter Johnson’s wholesome savior, Caleb may be the only thing left to snap her out of this psychological paralysis.

Quick tip: You’ll want to see Porcelain with the lights on.

Porcelain is currently streaming on Amazon.

OVERALL: 
Psychological terror sprinkled with frightening images is my favorite horror subgenre. Porcelain got it right. While Elise’s desperation to end the terrifying visions of silhouettes lurking in the darkness while her dolls whisper disturbing reminders from her abusive childhood only escalates the desire to find out the truth to her descent into schizophrenia. Finding comfort in the dolls as Caleb frantically tries to save her through his uncompromised love and devotion can only lead to heartbreak in some form. However, as Elise is reminded by a flashback from her father, “You’ve always been weak. Fragile, just like porcelain” becomes a lesson for Caleb. I mean, let’s face it…going back home could drive anybody insane!


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