Presence Review
Ay, but to die, and go we know not where
Steven Soderbergh's Presence is so tender. It is a film that could hold its own on conception alone but finds a way to be an endearing and heartbreaking family tale. We get an intimate look into grief's effects on one's psyche and its ripple effects on the ones we love. The masterful camerawork here plays with the form in a gratifying way that doesn't just add ghostly thrills but allows us to see our fantastic cast thrive in their most personal moments. This loss of innocence tale had me locked in from start to finish, and Soderbergh is firing on all cylinders as the director, editor, and cinematographer with his finger on the pulse of the here and now of filmmaking.
Presence is a unique family drama that offers a fresh perspective. It follows a family moving into a new house entirely from the first-person view of a ghost. We, the audience, hover around the house as this spectral entity, witnessing the genuine dysfunctionality of the family. As the family gradually discovers they are not alone, the narrative unfolds, revealing the paranormal activity within the house.
It might be easy for some to write off this film for its perspective "gimmick," but I am here to tell you that is not the case. Soderbergh has expertly executed his camera movements to be dynamic and give the Presence we inhabit a curious, introspective, and, at times, furious personality. He stages his actors perfectly so it becomes natural how we roam and become part of their dynamic. It's not like we are a Peeping Tom or a Rear Window Jimmy Stewart getting our rocks off in some voyeuristic fantasy. We are a lost ghost wandering around this crumbling family who cannot understand each other or open up their emotions. Time and space don't make sense to us as the camera swooshes around, fades to black, and hides us in the closest; it is shameful to be even part of what's happening on screen.
Presence's narrative is thrilling as we uncover the paranormal activity within the house. It also sheds light on a family clearly on the decline, which was gripping. Lucy Liu always has such a stunning on-screen presence, but her character here is fascinating as this girl-boss mom. She has some obsessive Jocasta complex with her star athlete son that's captivating and sick to see. Eddy Maday plays the douchebag jock to a tee but can capture the insecurity that is bubbling to the surface with his character. I love that screenwriter David Koepp shows how bad high schoolers suck at cursing, and Maday has this wonderfully narcissistic rhythm built into his scenes. Chris Sullivan plays a 10/10 girl-dad, and watching him just be pushed to his absolute emotional limit was so cathartic. A man filled with so much resentment but doing his best to hold himself and everyone around him together will always work on me.
Finally, we have Callina Liang as the daughter whose life has been entirely wrecked by the overdose of one of her best friends. She's phenomenal at portraying this loss of innocence and allowing us, an audience, to see someone dealing with a significant death for the first time. Early in the film, we see her glance at the camera as if she's aware of the ghostly Presence where it doesn't feel fully formed. It is incredible acting on her behalf. She and the film make us feel the full weight of death on her shoulders, but ever-present. West Mulholland plays her popular boyfriend, who's friends with her brother and is challenging to speak about without getting into spoilers. I will say I found his pseudo-sensitive and devilish charm to be super engrossing. This nihilistic gaslighter has a bright future, and I am excited to see what he does next.
The ethereal piano score in Presence is a treat for the senses. It seamlessly blends into the chilling atmosphere, guiding us through the empty hallways, allowing us to eavesdrop on private conversations, and instilling a sense of unease about the events unfolding in this haunted house. Soderbergh's direction is so precise that it places us in uncomfortably close frames, like a fly on the wall, without veering into schlocky territory, which is a testament to his mastery. If there are faults to be had, I could understand many audiences being frustrated by some underbaked side plots that never get resolved by the end of this story. I would say that the abruptness fits perfectly with the narrative of death, and it's sudden and absurd happening in one's life completely shell shocking you.
The beauty of Presence is that you take so much out of this tight and straightforward story. You may enjoy the uneasy and eerie feeling of being a spirit lurking in a family or uncovering the darkness at the heart of this family and what's taken from the youth. This tightly crafted story is excellent solely on its dynamic and innovative camerawork, but the heart of its fantastic cast elevates it. It is an endearing and frightening film that taps into seriously dark places, but it touched me by the end. What a great way to kick off 2025.
Final Score: 8/10
Written by Kevin J. Pettit
Also:
My film club curated a series of films under the theme 'Dysfunctional Family December' this past month. The movies included Little Miss Sunshine, Hereditary, Parasite, The Fabelmans, and The Royal Tenenbaums. Each film explored the complexities of family dynamics in unique and thought-provoking ways and had similar patterns that we all enjoyed covering together. Presence would have made an excellent addition, and next December, I will prioritize adding it!
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One of my favorite bands from high school had a needle drop in the climax, which rocked.