By Terry Sherwood
Beyond Mamushi explores this concept of mental illness through a blend of thriller and drama that asks audiences to question both the characters’ reality and their own. The danger is the in some viewers it makes mental illness the excuse for seeing supernatural or doing heinous acts. The film serves as a examination of the difficult nature of human companionship when the real villain this the toxic human not the person stigmatized by having mental problems. The work like so many make it into a “perfect storm’ where it becomes an excuse to be violent or show supernatural manifestations
Title wise Mamushi refers to a snake or who has benefits yet is harmful likely referring to Chris. The film follows Kate (Corina Jayne) whose life in her dream home with mentioned Chris (Gary Cross) implodes after experiencing hallucinations due to medication after moving into a new flat. Kate loses her job, adding further tension to an already volatile situation as Chris reveals himself to be a manipulative control freak who exploits Kate’s vulnerability for his own satisfaction. We witness a blend of memories both good times and bad the latter including cruel moments of control, notably Chris locking away Kate’s medication and commanding her to beg for pills.
Corina Jayne’s performance is strong an at the films core as she is the one acted upon by Chris by Garry Gross. There’s fear in her eyes many times too much reduced to wide eyed moments. One does not see enough of the lucid Kate, the happy Kate, the working mind Kate to get dimension. Garry Cross comes across as the bad guy who degrades you then one moment then buys you a toy the next professing love or in the cases ‘I can’t exist without you’.
While moving into a new home, Kate discovers a business card for Ana Mamushi (Jemma Thompson). During the initial session with this psychiatrist, it’s clear she’s offering Kate, convincing her to use extreme measures to end the cycle of abuse. This is a strong choice yet should have been a trigger point for Kate that this is not what it seems.
The supernatural elements in Beyond Mamushi feel odd are well placed. You understand the decision, yet the point is with all these films mental illness becomes the reason for seeing these manifestations when the explanation is clearer. You are in a toxic relationship and are so disoriented you see these things and have developed troubles. The picture utilizing disturbing, rapid-fire imagery to mirror the fractured state of Kate’s mind.
The best scene and most inventive moment between Kate and Chris’s Father played by Steven Atkins that starts the climax of the film. Missed is the insistence before that of Chris saying his father wants Kate to make his breakfast. The cast while some limited in screen time all handle well their work well. The camera loves them all even with the antiseptic pallet of colors used reminiscent of Roman Polanski ‘s claustrophobic masterpiece on mental illness Repulsion with young Catherine Deneuve. The character of Kate Andrews like Carol Ledoux are both physically attractive, shot to look that way with moments in this film of dresses, shorts and tank tops. Carol Ledoux was photographed in a revealing for the time night outfit in revealing backlight in small hallways.
Yet ultimately this is a sadly all too real depiction of the loneliness felt by those who feel like they cannot be saved. Beyond Mamushi is a restrained psychological work with the intrusion of the supernatural featuring solid performances.
Bloody Flicks 