Proclivitas
The brief
Miley Tunnecliffe turns what starts as a tender addiction recovery drama into something much darker, using the slow burn of rekindled romance to build an increasingly suffocating atmosphere. Rose Riley delivers a raw, jittery performance as Clare, making her fragile sobriety feel genuinely precarious even before the supernatural elements creep in. The film works best when it blurs the line between Clare's personal demons and actual demonic forces, though it occasionally stumbles when choosing between psychological horror and outright scares. Perfect for fans of hereditary family trauma meets The Babadook, where addiction and grief become fertile ground for evil to take root.
The verdict
If you love slow-burn psychological horror that uses addiction recovery and family trauma as a foundation for genuine scares, this is a must-watch that delivers Rose Riley's breakout performance. If you prefer straightforward horror or need clear answers about what's supernatural versus psychological, you'll find the film's deliberate ambiguity and occasional tonal shifts frustrating.
Watch with
- 👤 Solo viewing for maximum psychological impact
- ⚠️ Avoid with those in early recovery
Heads up
- Addiction and substance abuse themes (frequent)
- Demonic possession and supernatural horror (moderate)
- Death of parent (off-screen) (brief)
- Psychological breakdown sequences (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Miley Tunnecliffe
- Cast
- Rose Riley, George Mason, Hayley McElhinney, Kade Power, Karin Kowi, Chloe Brink, James Rock
Official synopsis
Clare is an addict in recovery when her mother’s sudden death turns her carefully measured world upside down.
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with You Were Never Really Here (2017)
Both explore trauma's grip on fractured souls seeking redemption.
Total runtime: 1h 43m + 1h 29m = 3h 12m
