Fantasia '19 Film Review - Swallow

Hunter (Haley Bennett) seems to have everything anyone would want. Her husband Ritchie (Austin Stowell) is an extremely fit financial market heavyweight that has been just been promoted to run the family firm by his no-nonsense father (David Rasche) while her mother in law Katherine (Elizabeth Marvel) was in her shoes when she became Michael's bride offers on the balance helpful advice.

However, in the opening frames of film underlying issues emerge. She is ignored when she begins to speak as the three adults move on to more important issues. She lives in a remote glass house that her father in law bought. She appears to have no family, car or friends of her own with her only goal being to make Ritchie happy.

Events turn darker when she discovers that she is pregnant. Ritchie is elated telling his parents right away. Hunter begins to work on the nursery but in reality, she is losing more sense of herself, falling further into the tight grip of this high powered family. She reacts by ingesting unelidable objects, first a marble, then a push pin followed by a battery. In her mind, these small acts of rebellion give her back a sense of control until she winds up in the hospital needing surgery. The family now have reason to tighten to noose hiring Nurse / Babysitter / C.O.  Luay (Laith Nakli) "The Best in the Business" to watch her 24 hours a day.

Writer-Director Carlos Mirobella-Davis explores a topic that bubbles under popular discourse. The victim is viewed as lucky, the bruising is on the inside and not out and the damage is psychological and not physical.  The crux being Hunter is in a prison, with no say on what she does, who she sees, or what she can or can't do with her body. The most subtly chilling example of the latter occurs when Mother In Law Katherine comments on her hair and how Ritchie likes the hair on his girls long. Leading to obsessive touching of her bob likely thinking each time that it is making Ritchie unhappy.

Swallow is a psychological struggle of a young wife with whom many would gladly switch places. Haley Bennett produces a multi-layered performance as Hunter spanning the range from subservient to reckoner.  Austin Stowell is perfectly cast as the silver spoon neglectful husband while Laith Naki shines as the former Eastern European soldier turned Au-Pair. Look for Mirobella-Davis' unique way of weaponizing texting as a tool to show overt indifference.  It's an important look at a common yet ignored aspect of society where women in this predicament often are not helped or supported.

**** Out of 4.

Swallow | Carlos Mirobella-Davis | USA / France | 2019 | 94 minutes.

Tags: Job Promotion, Weaponized Texting, Pregnancy, Nursery, PICA Disorder, Self-Help Book, Surgery, Marble, Push Pin, Battery, Nail