Writer/director Daniel Kay crafts a raw, emotionally intense drama in indie gem Spider & Jessie. The subject matter alone may put off casual viewers, especially those who cannot stomach seeing children in peril. There are moral quandaries introduced as well—the fact that children are the ones who must face the dilemma makes it all the more tragic. While the movie as a whole feels special, there is a particularly potent performance among the group: that of McKenna Grace (Ghostbusters: Afterlife, upcoming Scream 7). Grace plays one half of the sisterly duo at the core, exuding a vulnerable power that stays with you long after the haunting final frame. A grounded atmosphere and gripping turn from Grace are housed within this haunting portrait of childhood trauma.
In the cold open, Spider (Grace) and Jessie (Jojo Regina, Where the Crawdads Sing) discover their mother’s dead body. She has overdosed, it seems, and now they are left to deal with the horrible aftermath. Spider realizes quite quickly that they must keep the death a secret. After all, if anyone finds out, they will “try to separate us.” With this in mind, the two sisters make a pact to keep it under wraps until they can figure out an alternative course of action. With their mother’s social worker looming and a nasty druggie anxious for the money owed to him, pretending may be much harder than it first appears.
The most notable relationship of Spider & Jessie reflects the title—these two sisters are inextricably bonded by a complicated situation. Both Grace and Regina play their respective roles with a surprising amount of depth given their younger ages, especially Regina, who remains the smallest of the group. Together, the two girls discover things about their mother that they either never knew about, or refused to acknowledge. They take special precautions to keep friends and others away from the house, and Spider pawns off items such as their mother’s special locket in order to get money. As the days turn into weeks, my heart broke for the struggles of these siblings. Forced to grow up too quickly, Spider and Jessie are at the mercy of a relentlessly bleak world.
Thankfully, there is some light in the darkness. Spider makes a friend (Forrest Goodluck, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, Cherry) who stokes her interest in photography. Jessie remains convinced that their mother was a good person even when all signs point to drug abuse and neglect. Still, they ultimately find the greatest comfort in one another. Their dilemma never feels phoned in or easy to overcome, so how special that these girls play off the strengths of each other in order to make it through.
In a key supporting performance, Dacre Montgomery (Stranger Things, Better Watch Out) plays an abuser with a ratty ponytail desperate for the next fix. Reece makes for quite an unsettling antagonist. Others include Jesse Williams as a caring sheriff, and Spider’s close school friend (Malia Baker, Descendants: Rise of Red). Each of these pad out Spider & Jessie into something of an ensemble, replete with in-depth character work. So what if the film can occasionally be rough around the edges—see: a low sound mix, or occasionally wonky southern accents—when what matters most is how it will make viewers feel. Despite being unrelenting in atmosphere, this gut-wrenching story ripples with raw emotionality and authentic performances from its committed cast.
Spider & Jessie had its world premiere debut at 2025’s Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
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