Grace

Released: 2009

Directed by: Paul Solet

Starring: Jordan Ladd, Stephen Park, Gabrielle Rose

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Drama

Grace was one of those films I had been wanting to see for months.  The premise grabbed and stunned me, perhaps rattled me a few times till I was numb to the idea of a cannibalistic baby.  Being Paul Solet's first feature length film, I was determined to see it, one way or another.  So, when I had the opportunity to at Toronto After Dark Film Festival 2009, I had to take that chance.  I had seen the teaser and trailer for the film and had read countless articles about people fainting at Sundance. Even now I laugh at that notion, not because I like seeing people go bottoms up over a horror film, but because I couldn't wrap my finger around why people would faint over such a tame film.  That's right, tame.

Now I'm no expert in child horror films, but I do know how important shock-value is in films like these. There is a great deal of shock already involved (for obvious reasons), but there are boundaries that have to be broken to further the experience. Extreme violence, blasphemy or psychological deterioration can turn an otherwise lackluster film into one that's remembered for years to come. For a film to isolate itself from moral reason is not only respected but admired by those who are willing to free themselves of normalcy.  

While Grace had initially appeared to be one of those films, one that was willing to break the boundaries of reason, I was stunned and disappointed by the lack thereof.  There was no shock-value outside of what I had already known about the film, so unfortunately my anticipation for something more was met in vain.  Even the ending failed to grab me in the way that it had grabbed others.  Grace fell short of my expectations, although I wish it hadn't.  

With that said, Grace is nothing more than solid, but what good is solid?  There's nothing interesting about a film that acts like a shocker, but fails to be one.  While Grace will no doubt please most horror audiences, it will fail to please those that are looking for something much more sinister.  That's what I call a damn shame.  

SHARP OBJEX Rating: 2.5 out of 4  

Grace Trailer