"No one, including her, knows quite what to say, but everyone (including her parents and two brothers) tries their best to put on a brave and polite face. It is her mother, Gill (Charlotte Bradley), who keeps asking questions and commenting on how pale Hannah looks now that she's a vegetarian."
"What happened? Was it her break-up with her boyfriend, Johnny (Aidan Moriarty)? Is it her new health regimen that made her chemically imbalanced, and therefore suicidal? Her mom wants a clean answer without actually talking about it. Hannah can see right through everyone, while also keeping her guard up, not letting them in on the how or why of it all."
"Foley's film takes place entirely in this confined house, lit with such warmth that you immediately sense a family has lived there for decades. The performances, likewise, are naturally familial, making the tragedy that much more potent and the final moments that much more devastating."
"As Hannah, Oliver masterfully conveys the inner turmoil as she approaches each character who comes near her. She hides as much as she reveals. All the family wants to do is welcome her, eat burgers, and pretend everything is back to square one, but Hannah is nowhere near them."
A woman comes home to her family after days in a hospital following a failed suicide attempt. Everyone tries to maintain polite, brave conversation, but no one knows what to say or how to ask. Her mother repeatedly comments on her appearance and health, seeking a clean explanation without direct discussion. Possible causes are suggested, including a breakup and a new health regimen, while the real details remain unclear. The film unfolds entirely within a confined, warmly lit house, emphasizing long-established family life. Performances create natural familial tension, and the woman’s guarded behavior shows inner turmoil and selective disclosure. The evening feels like a turning point that will permanently change the family.
Read at Roger Ebert
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