I don’t know how else to start out this review but by telling the truth. In a small way, these reviews have been therapeutic for me. Being able to be vulnerable with you guys about some of my darkest secrets and sins hasn’t always been the easiest. Our mental health approach has always helped set us apart from other publications. I knew the moment I finished this movie how I would start out this review, but what I was going to say was a different story. For the safety and peace of those involved, I’ve noticed something in my few decades here on Earth. The passing of ANY loved one is never an easy thing. It has yielded some of the darkest, and most bitter, seasons of my life.

While I’ve made peace with the situations and actions, it was a process. Losing someone is tough enough. When you lose someone close to you as a child, you just have the baggage of death looming over you. As an adult, it’s a completely different story. Death riddles itself another gate that I wouldn’t wish for my worst enemy to enter. The will of an individual can be extraordinarily divisive among the family or parties involved. I mean look no further than the will-reading scene from last year’s Knives Out. Humanity at its absolute worst. While I’m being honest, I also fear the inheritance of Sam Loomis from 1960’s Psycho. No money, just debt. However, I’m grateful I’ve never inherited anything quite like Lauren (Lily Collins) from Inheritance.

The Vaughn Stein-helmed picture depicts the story of a Manhattan District Attorney (Collins) who inherits a prisoner (Simon Pegg) from her father (Patrick Warburton).  Here is a movie that knows how to pace itself and boasts a cast to back it. Inheritance will grip you with white knuckles from its opening frames. The narrative opens itself from three different points of views. Fortune favors the bold on this one, because to say that opening gamble pays off would be a massive understatement. What truly solidifies this thriller is the narrative’s ability to execute its twists and turns, none of which ever feel cliché or boring. That’s the brilliance of the script by Matthew Kennedy. Kennedy unwinds an eerie rabbit trail that knows how to brilliantly characterize its core cast while also feeding the viewer a story that leaves you on the edge of your seat and your jaw hitting the floor from its matching intensity.

While Kennedy and Stein are the masterminds behind the camera, there is one more element worth acknowledging: the score from Marlon Espino. Espino’s score is interesting to note, though. He manages to break out in a big way as Inheritance marks the composer’s debut. He destroys expectations for the score through sympathetic moments and the score’s unsettling nature. While there are moments that Espino manages to stand out throughout the film, the third act of the movie is where he truly shines. His score is playing on an entirely different feed at that moment. There might be a lot happening behind the screen but nothing comes close to the brilliant performances of Collins and Pegg.

While Collins played a similar role in last year’s Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile – Inheritance manages to give her a bit more strength as a character. Collins manages to craft an uncomfortable arc that personifies one’s loss of reality. She’s nothing short of amazing throughout. However, much like Zac Efron’s Ted Bundy from Extremely Wicked, she falls victim to the shadow of her co-star. Pegg has built a career playing either a lovable dork or the nice guy. While you will find those traits within his performance here, this is a game changer role for Pegg. He absolutely delivers the best performance of his career. Even sitting here typing this now, I still have goosebumps thinking about his performance. It’s incredible.

Overall, Inheritance, is an unforgiving white-knuckle thriller that stops at nothing to demolish your expectations for it. The trinity behind this movie, director, Vaughn Stein; screenwriter, Matthew Kennedy; and composer, Marlon Espino, craft an eerie yet sympathetic film. Each element harmonizes with one another in the narrative’s ability to pull the emotional strings of the movie, all while leaving you on the edge of your seat for an unforgettable thriller. There are few words that could begin to explain the magnitude of the career best performance from Simon Pegg. I promise you have never seen Pegg even come close to a character like this. Lily Collins does a terrific job at bringing the heat as well. Inheritance is as intensely beautiful as it is brutally raw.

RORSCACH RATING:

If you or someone you know is reading this right now and you are struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message or tweet to us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!

Victims and Villains is written and produced by Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey. Music by Yuriy Bespalov & Beggars. This post was edited by Cam Smith. Inheritance is property of Vertical Entertainment. We do not own nor claim any rights. Inheritance is available on VOD May 22nd, 2020.

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