From time to time a film comes along that absolutely disturbs you while at the same time completely enthralls you. Pascal Laugiers Martyrs was the last film to do this to me, and now Inside or À l'intérieur in its native tongue has come along and done exactly the same.
The plot, which has been stripped down to its bare bones for maximum effect, tells of Sarah (Alysson Paradis) a heavily pregnant woman, who at the beginning of the film loses her husband and is herself injured in a serious car accident. Four months on and very near the end of her term, Sarah spends Christmas eve alone at home. In the middle of the night the doorbell rings and a strange woman (Beatrice Dalle) is at the front door demanding that Sarah let her in. While really not wanting to give much more of the plot away lets just say the stranger at the door makes her way into the house and Sarah must fight relentlessly to keep both herself and her unborn child alive.
With just about all of the film set within the confines of Sarahs home, one would think the film could run out of steam quite early on. This, however, could not be further from the truth. Directors Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury get more out of their claustrophobic setting than I thought was possible. The dim lighting and many dark corners of the house are all used to magnificent effect. This also gives the viewer an almost dream like visual throughout the film which again works very well in creating an absolutely terrifying atmosphere.
The directors also pull no punches when it comes to the levels of violence that are used. There are someone genuinely gory moments in Inside, but in my opinion the violence is never over the top and the graphic effects employed are visually stunning. The two actresses at the centre of Inside are both fantastic. Alysson Paradiss performance as the heavily pregnant Sarah is completely believable and the horror she is going through is portrayed with immense power. Beatrice Dalle, possibly best known from Betty Blue, is totally unrecognisable as the deranged stranger. Her performance is terrifying but there is also a vulnerability and almost sadness about her character that Dalle masterfully blends together.
Inside is a punishing film and I was definitely feeling its effects as the end credits rolled. Saying this, I cannot recommend Inside highly enough. It is a beautifully crafted, original film with outstanding performances and will stay with you for some time after.
