A common misconception I’ve discovered in doing this podcast is that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder means more than war. Trauma can manifest itself from multiple sources and multiple outlets. It’s going to sound like I’m trying to switch gears here but I’m going to connect the two – I promise. Have you ever seen a film or television show and can only remember a single moment? Like you can’t remember the larger narrative, but you remember a quote. When I was younger, I remember seeing a television show where a woman was sharing her experience in being held captive against her will. She discussed about how the scent of coffee would trigger back memories of that time. Trauma coming forth. Following the events of The Shining, Dan Torrance is left with quite a bit of trauma. Having your father try to kill you and seeing ghosts will do that to you. In an effort to cope, Danny turns to the bottle.
While a larger portion of the Dan Torrance arc in Doctor Sleep focuses on Danny’s demons – its’ not entirely the course of direction for the duration of the movie. Doctor Sleep chronicles the story of Abra (Kyliegh Curran), a young girl with the gift of The Shining, who connects with a recovering Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) to put a stop to a cult led by Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson). It’s also worth noting that the cult called the True Knot – suck the life out of children. Ferguson absolutely dominates the screen as the antagonist. Showcasing an absolutely ruthless villain that commands every frame that she’s in. By far, Ferguson is the highlight of Doctor Sleep ushering in one of the strongest female performances of 2019.
Though, she is not alone in her strength. The juxtaposition between Curran and McGregor’s arcs are fascinating to unfold. The film opens up months after the events of The Shining, in which we get to see how a young Danny, fresh with “The Shining”, reacts to the tragedy of the overlook motel. In the same regard, the first act also features a scene from a young Abra – young in her gift – absolutely adoring and operating in it. It is an interesting turn of events to see the mirror reflection of both arcs unfold as the film progress. Curran and McGregor have incredible chemistry with one another. Even more have arcs that stand well on their own, as with each other, giving phenomenally equal powerful performances.
Let’s be honest, we live in a technically advanced day and age. There is a rising number of films coming forth which is implementing a new technology which is de-aging actors. There are a few sequences within Doctor Sleep which go back to the source material of the overlook motel. Seeing how the film is set 39 years after its original, the film recasts the younger counterparts. Filmmakers opted not to use the de-aging technology and that in where the issues take place. The actors who play the younger counterparts feel like caricatures of The Shining core cast. It feels tonally out of balance wherever they grace the film.
Overall, Doctor Sleep, dares you to go back to the Overlook Motel and with good reason. The movie is marvelously paced, acted and shot. The duality of arcs between Kyliegh Curran and Ewan McGregor is met with fascination, brilliant chemistry and absolutely stunning delivery for both actors. Whether together or apart – Curran and McGregor have the utmost strength in their delivery. That is only outshined by the antagonist in Rebecca Ferguson. Ferguson monopolizes every frame of film she is on. Commanding the strength of the film and one of this year’s strongest leading ladies. Doctor Sleep has some moments of tonal difficulty but they are far and few between. Check back in – Doctor Sleep is worth the nightmare.
RORSCHACH RATING
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Music by Beggars.Doctor Sleep is property of Warner Brothers Pictures. We do not own nor claim any rights.