Soderbergh’s Presence Movie Recommendation. Yes, I’m aware I’ve slowed down on the movie review front here at THiNC. I’ve been spending the time I normally write and watch movies consulting. (Need an SEO expert? Hit me up! Hahaha.) But I am still watching movies, and Soderbergh’s The Presence got me off of my ass and got me writing again. So, there must be something worth watching here, no? Let’s dive in.
I’m Recommending You Go In Blind
First, a recommendation. If you go and watch Presence – know this one thing. This is not a horror movie. I’d argue it’s not even a thriller. It’s maybe in the world and universe of a thriller, but it isn’t that for 75% of the film. Most of this movie is an intriguing family drama told from a unique perspective. Okay? If you want to stop reading there, and head to the theaters, I wouldn’t be offended. But if you want to know more, be careful, because the rest of this Presence post will be intricately enmeshing itself with all the spoilers of this film.
So, what is going on with Steven Soderbergh’s latest film, Presence? Soderbergh’s latest film offers a fresh and innovative take on the haunted house genre. Some have said that it “turns the haunted house idea inside out.” Which I totally agree with. The narrative centers on a family of four whom we watch move into a new home from the perspective of someone haunting the house. The camera floats, flies and retreats into closets, as we learn more and more about this family from this otherworldly perspective.
Soderbergh, known for his eclectic filmography, has consistently pushed cinematic boundaries. His previous works span a variety of genres, from the crime thriller Out of Sight to the ensemble heist film Ocean’s Eleven, and the pandemic drama Contagion. In Presence, he collaborates with screenwriter David Koepp, renowned for his scripts for Jurassic Park and Mission: Impossible. But it’s Soderbergh’s more esoteric decisions in movies like Unsane, where he shot the entire film with an iPhone, that more closely aligns with the movie Presence. We watch as this movie is told in an entirely new, and completely different way.
I mean, just look at the fact that the film was shot in a mind-alteringly quick eleven days. Better yet, Soderbergh shot this film – he was our floating cameraman. “No! It was some guy named Peter Andrews! I looked it up on IMDb!” Yes, correct, which was Soderbergh’s pseudonym actually. hahaha. Why Soderbergh is hiding his attempt at a Cinematography Oscar, I don’t know! But it was a truly innovative storytelling method, and shot in a truly innovative way. This approach not only provides a unique storytelling angle but also deepens the emotional connection to the characters.
I personally believe that the film is more akin to an intense This Is Us episode, than it is to a horror film. Why? Because, the storytelling, camera work, and emotional acting, aligns more perfectly with an intense family drama than it does to something out of a horror movie genre. It’s been described as a “slow-burn experience that surprises with its emotional depth,” leaving a lasting impression on viewers. But, I will say this, the other guys that went with me to see this one were not impressed. But I’m certain they expected Freddie Kruger to jump out of someone’s chest.
For those seeking a thought-provoking and emotionally engaging cinematic experience, Presence is a must-watch. Its unique perspective and compelling storytelling make it a standout in contemporary cinema.
Spoilers Discussing the Timeline of Presence
Last warning – from here on out be dragons. The central question of the movie Presence is simple enough, Who is haunting this family? And why? The movie opens with Rebekah (Lucy Liu from Kill Bill and Elementary fame) and Chris, (Chris Sullivan of This is Us fame) along with their two children, as they consider purchasing a home. But the home is most obviously haunted. Why do we know this? Because the camera’s vantage point is from the perspective of a spirit trapped in the house. Who could it be?
As they purchase and move into the home, we learn that the main reason they moved in was to get Tyler into a school district where he will excel in his swimming career. But we also know that Chloe is suffering after having two close friends die separately, back to back. They just stopped breathing in their sleep for some reason. Drugs its assumed.
But as the story unfolds, there is drama between the parents – who may, or may not divorce. Drama between Chloe and her new boyfriend. Drama between Tyler and Chloe and her hanging on to the deaths of her friends. Can’t she just let it go?
So, Who Is The Murderer, I mean Ghost?
JK. But I got your attention though. There is one critical moment that we have to delve into as we think through who the ghost might be. The family brings in someone that is very open to feeling what is happening in the spiritual realm. She tells the family that there is a presence in the house, and that they don’t understand what is happening to them. Something tragic happened to them, and that there is something that they must do, something to do with a window that is locked?? Won’t open? But more importantly, this spirit probably doesn’t experience time like we do. Things probably happen out of order, and it’s probably very confusing for them.
Did you catch that? As I was watching the film, I expected a trick from Soderbergh… a timeline slight of hand. Then I started thinking, maybe it’s a Sixth Sense sort of timeline slight of hand? And it was really at that moment, that I realized we knew the Presence. And at the halfway point, my guess at who the Presence was, was either Tyler, or Chloe. While the timeline mention seemed to stick out like a sore thumb to me, none of the people I was with commented on it at all.
So, Who is The Presence in the movie Presence?
The big reveal has nothing to do with the family actually. We come to learn that Chloe’s boyfriend – Ryan, who is continually attempting to lace Chloe’s drink with drugs, is a full-on creep. The first time he tries it, the Presence finds a way to knock the laced drink onto the floor, and thereby ruining Ryan’s plans. But the second time, after drugging Tyler, is successful. But the Presence scurries downstairs to wake Tyler up… Tyler runs up the stairs to find Ryan attempting to rape his sister, and slams Ryan out the window, and onto the driveway below – killing them both instantly.
But wait. Who is the Presence? I’m still not sure! Is it Ryan? Is it Tyler? Is it a future Chloe? Who?
The film is not ambiguous as to the ending of the film Presence. We see very clearly who the Presence is when, as the family sells the house and leaves. As Rebekah takes one last minute to mourn her son, and to reflect… she’s staring in the window when she finally sees who the Presence is… it’s Tyler. Standing there, staring at her through the mirror.
The Infinite Loop Complications of Presence
But if you were to stop and think about the timeline of Presence you will immediately get a headache:
- Tyler awaits the family in the house
- Ryan attempts to drug Chloe, but Tyler stops him
- Ryan drugs Tyler
- Ryan drugs Chloe
- The Presence, Tyler, wakes himself up
- Tyler kills both himself and the Killer
If Tyler’s ghost wasn’t there, backwards in time, then Ryan is guaranteed to get away with it. So, I would argue, the real timeline has to go something a little more like this:
- Ryan kills the two girls
- Ryan befriends Chloe and Tyler
- Ryan drugs Chloe when everyone is gone – and kills her
- Tyler commits suicide out of grief, and finds himself in a janky timeline
- Ryan attempts to drug Chloe, Tyler stops it
- Ryan drugs Tyler, and Chloe
- Tyler wakes himself up – and kills himself and Ryan
I mean, the suicide part is a leap… but the timeline that the film is selling is physically impossible. It makes more sense that Tyler makes amends for a failure by saving his sister. But we don’t see that play out. Instead, we start the film with Tyler already dead and his death a mystery as to how it occurred. Regardless of how he died, something had to have occurred in order to start this tragic event off, and it was something off camera that happened prior to the film’s beginning.
I loved this movie. Indie films like this with good acting, character development and interesting storytelling are my favorite genre of film. I especially liked the ending where the mom was finally able to see that the Presence was her son all along. And I was really fascinated by the extraordinarily janky timeline. It was a blast. What did you think of the film?
Edited by: CY