By Simon Thompson
Director Lawrie Brewster’s The Vance Institute is a taut, atmospheric psychological thriller which creates a palpable sense of unease and tension through its strong visuals, decent script, and its capable cast of actors.
The plot revolves around a pseudo-therapy programme devised by Tobin Vance (played by the movie’s co-writer Tom Malloy) a Dr Mabuse/ Lord Summerisle type figure for an age of Liver Kings, High Performance Podcasts, and Brain force pills. Tobin’s programme brings together five individuals all suffering from both various specific mental health issues and personal traumas at a country retreat in Scotland. However, from the offset they quickly begin to realise that the programme is far from what it seems, as Tobin’s mind games become more and more dangerous.
The movie is shot in a stark black and white for the most part, and that really contributes to the retro-British horror look and feel that Brewster is clearly trying to create. There are some fantastic uses of skewed angles that you would find in a German expressionist or Henri Georges Clouzot movie, which gives the visuals a strong surreal quality. The sound design is also fantastic, with the use of industrial soundscapes and a well-chosen score emphasising the tone that Brewster is trying to create.
The acting in this movie is fairly competent across the board but if I were to single out anybody for special praise it would be Megan Tremethick’s performance as Nicole. Tremethick manages to capture the character’s anger and her vulnerability well, doing so through small gestures and body language rather than having the dialogue carry her through scenes.
Tom Malloy is also excellent in the role of Tobin Vance, balancing both Vance’s superficial sociopathic charm with his violent temper and ruthless streak in a believable and chilling way rather than portraying him as a kind of Joker- esque supervillain.
Overall, The Vance Institute is a solid and well directed indie British horror movie which if you’re into the likes of Quatermass, Straw Dogs, The Wicker Man, or Dog Soldiers, is worth a glance.
“The Vance Institute” is distributed by Hex Media Ltd and is available on Amazon Prime UK, as well as at http://www.hexstudios.shop.
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