Lisa Belcher’s feature directorial debut is a graphic thriller about a woman looking for answers at The House of Abraham, a mysterious, secluded property where people go to die. Wanting to ending one’s own life is treated differently in different cultures around the world. This story and script were written by actor and writer, Lukas Hassel (The Blacklist, Slapface) in collaboration with Belcher. Hassel plays the strikingly suave, imposingly figure with long hair and a commanding voice who plays the Master Facilitator, Abraham. He gallantly says with a smile, “Life is not for Everyone.”
Watch our interview with Director Lisa Belcher talking about collaborating with Lukas Hassel, creating tension with Steffen Schmidt’s music and each time you hear a bell.
The film opens on a flashback showing a disturbing scene from Dee’s childhood. Dee (Natasha Henstridge – The Whole Nine Yards, The Unhealer) is the woman who arrives at the House of Abraham to get help ending her own life. There, she is greeted with a big smile by Beatrice (Lin Shaye – Insidious: The Red Door, There’s Something About Mary) and shown to her room before meeting others who have come for the same purpose.
The other guests are young and old, a couple, single, terminally ill or depressed. Victor (Gary Clarke), Alex (Marval A. Rex), Pierre (Sean Freeland), Jonathan (William Magnuson), Shannon (Khali McDuff-Sykes). They are all there for the same reason, to have Abraham help them, with love, decide how and when they’re ready to end their lives. All they have to do is ring the bell to let Abraham know when.
Abraham’s welcoming appearance at the well-appointed dinner table with his “guests” is creepy. You already know there’s something up with this guy, trying to be so polite while spelling out his house rules. And each of the other guests ask questions about his process, but are put off by Abraham who seems in no hurry to get down to business. Dee looks uncomfortable, as Abraham seems wary why she has come.
Each client picks a different way to die and Belcher shows the various modes of committing suicide with help. It is hard to watch people go through the individual process. In the meantime, Dee wants to find out more about Abraham and tension mounts when she is caught spying on Abraham by one of the other clients. Henstridge is a talented actress who is good at interpreting Hassel’s script for keeping her skepticism about Abraham well under wraps. What is she trying to uncover? Suspicious Beatrice gets in the way. Actress Lin Shaye looked like she was having way too much fun as a loyal assistant Abraham.
There are several twists, but the one that really makes an impact is when Dee and Abraham are face-to-face that sheds light on the flashback in the beginning of the film.
We hand pick what horror films we see which must have a compelling story and not be unnecessarily gory. Belcher and Hassel handle a sensitive topic without getting too maudlin. You may not be able to unsee some of the things you see in this film. But it presents well-constructed food for thought worth watching.
Abramorama 1 hour 30 minutes R
