A mysterious unraveling by Teresa Sutherland at Toronto After Dark Film Festival

By Alisha Shaikh

Lovely, Dark, and Deep, a psychological horror film directed and written by Teresa Sutherland, was screened at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, an annual showcase of horror, sci-fi, thriller, and action cinema.

After co-writing, Midnight Mass, a successful Netflix horror series, Teresa Sutherland makes her directorial debut with Lovely, Dark, and Deep. The beautifully directed horror film stars Georgina Campbell, best known for her roles in the horror films Barbarian and Bird Box Barcelona. The film follows Lennon, Campbell’s character, a new backcountry ranger, as she wanders the terrifyingly strange wilderness to learn more about the tragedies that occurred there and have plagued her since she was a young child.

Campbell’s acting throughout the film was very realistic. She fully immersed herself in the role, and brought her character to life. Campbell’s character is very intricate, as she is haunted by past memories but still shows persistence in moving forward and finding answers. One gets the impression that they are traveling on a quest of horrifying discovery alongside Campbell’s character, experiencing all of her feelings. 

The film direction plays a brilliant role in capturing the audience, creating an eerie and mysterious atmosphere throughout the film. Sutherland’s directorial talents are well-displayed in the film; these skills are a key factor in why Lovely, Dark, and Deep has the feel of a psychological horror film that truly scares the audience.

The film’s colour palette is based on brownish, cool, and dull tones. This is perfect to create the lure of the terrifying woods and what lies behind the shadows. Many scenes follow dark and gloomy undertones, which allows the audience to feel present in the woods as if they are rangers themselves. 

While Sutherland has shown off her directorial talents in Lovely, Dark, and Deep, her writing talents seem to have been overshadowed. The plot starts strong and steady, slowly drawing the audience in. However, it does not excel beyond that. Lovely, Dark, and Deep’s storyline shortly turns confusing and disjointed. 

The film starts off greatly while hooking the audience to the plot. The scenes gradually build up, creating suspense with characters covered in blood and terrified by the unknown. Viewers are left wondering why people are going missing in the woods—is there a bigger monster lurking in the shadows? 

The plot continues to thicken, creating a lure, but then ends with no answer, solution, or explanation. The main issue with the plot lies in its lack of closure; it ends with the viewer longing for more answers or at least an explanation. The ending feels foolish since the audience is left wondering, “What does that mean? Huh?”

All in all, while the ending of the film did lack closure, Lovely, Dark, and Deep is a greatly crafted horror film. Campbell’s acting highlights Sutherland’s talents, bringing together a great film for the Halloween season.