Despite missing The Woman in the Yard in theaters and hearing many mixed reviews, I remained hopefully optimistic—after all, director Jaume Collet-Serra made two of my favorite horror films in Orphan and House of Wax. With Jason Blum producing and BAFTA-nominee Danielle Deadwyler in the lead role, surely it had to be worth a watch. Unfortunately, a barebones script from Sam Stefanak and an annoying, abusive lead character make for an unpleasant viewing experience. The film certainly lives up to its title: there’s a woman in a yard. Shrouded in all-black, she does little more than taunt, until the final act finally allows for a bit of action. An altogether hollow viewing experience, The Woman in the Yard aims for metaphorical psychological horror but gets stuck in the blades of a lawnmower.
Ramona (Deadwyler) and her two kids, Tay (Peyton Jackson) and Annie (Estella Kahiha), live out on a remote farmhouse. From the opening scene alone, we quickly establish that Ramona is recently-widowed, still mourning the loss of her hunky husband (Russell Hornsby). Her wallowing comes at the expense of both children, with Tay forced to become a parental figure. He cooks, he cleans, and he must keep Annie in check. As the power goes out and supplies run low, a mysterious woman (Okwui Okpokwasili) in black appears outside, sitting in a chair in the yard… what could her motive be? What does she want from the family and their endlessly yapping doggie?
Ramona’s grip on reality weakens as this woman starts appearing closer and closer to the house, issuing cryptic threats and strange observations. The kids question what really happened the night of the car accident that claimed their father’s life. Does Ramona truly aim to protect them? Eventually, the line between the stranger and Ramona herself begins to blur, culminating in a frustratingly ambiguous finale. The half-hearted suggestion that the woman was a manifestation of Ramona’s inner guilt refuses to commit to a clear resolution. For her part, Deadwyler plays an extremely unlikable character with an unfiltered raw passion. Her performance is easily the standout element.
The horror remains mostly symbolic, with long shots of rotting miniatures, cryptic one-liners, and jarring edits and sound effects. It sure does look pretty. Jaume Collet-Serra drenches the film in atmosphere, even if the script refuses to go to any places one cannot see coming from a mile away. Grief and guilt materializing as a physical threat being the central metaphor is tired at this point. This has been done before, and done significantly better. Here, it’s underdeveloped, over-edited, and ultimately empty. The horror moments lack bite. Each time we move towards an action-driven moment, The Woman in the Yard quickly backpedals. A refusal to commit to its own stakes becomes annoying as it moves into the final act. By the time the woman gets off her chair, caring for what happens next becomes a fool’s errand.
Special features on the disc are two-fold: a making-of featurette, and another called “Beneath the Veil.” Both should adequately satiate fans of the film at large, if not go as in-depth as a commentary track would have. Also included is a digital copy, which can be redeemed at any digital retailer. While I can’t say that I was a fan of this very strange film, it does take some risks in its storytelling, and visually looks fantastic. An ambitious misfire, The Woman in the Yard might be Collet-Serra’s weakest movie to date.
The Woman in the Yard comes to your yard–and Blu-Ray–right now. Look outside: she’s already there!
