Warning: This article contains spoilers
The problem with horror films, especially ones as deliciously nuanced as Relic, is that you can not discuss what actually happened – what really went down. Writing my review was not enough to suffice the need to discuss Relic and its layering within its take on dementia. Relic, from writer and director Natalie Erika James, was packed with visual representations, not only of the debilitating mental disorder but of the hereditary nature of dementia and difficulty coping and letting go.
Dementia
Relic brilliantly depicts dementia, though not only for the individual whose mind is affected by the disorder but also the family that surrounds them. Relic immediately sets the stage as Edna (Robyn Nevin) is standing in a doorway within her home as the lights on her tree blink and the bathtub overflows. Edna is trapped in a void. Trapped between who she was and who she is becoming. As the home begins to flood with water, so too does her mind, becoming harder and harder to keep her memories afloat.
Throughout Relic, Kay (Emily Mortimer) mentions that her mother called stating she thought someone was in the house, that lights were turning on and chairs moving. While at first there is a suspicion of ghosts from the past haunting the home, or even a spirit within the mold that is growing throughout the house, you come to realize that Edna is haunting herself. When Edna is experiencing the symptoms of her dementia, she does not recall that she is the one who turned on the lights, left the water running, and moved the chair. In her moments of clarity, everything around her has changed.
Where this is depicted as a potential intruder or unseen force, this is further understood in a more tangible depiction. There is a touching moment when Gran give Sam (Bella Heathcote) one of her old rings, passing along pieces of herself to the next generation. While Sam gladly accepts, Edna does not recall giving Sam the ring later on. Angry, she lashes out, accusing Sam of stealing from her, setting a stage of distrust in her granddaughter but also furthering the idea that there is evil happening in her home.
Even the home itself, which is the initial representation of a relic, comes into play when talking about Dementia. While it is showcased to viewers as a demonic setting, extending into a never-ending loop of confusion and darkness, the home loses much of its evil representation as you realize it is the mind of Edna. Her daughter and granddaughter have a hard time understanding what Edna is going through and experiencing. Yet, as they enter the mysterious back half of the house, they enter a personification of her mind. Sam is the first to become lost inside. An unending series of halls and doors that only loop back around and lead to nowhere. As she struggles to escape, the walls begin to close in on her, much like the mind for Edna. There is little room to run, and what is free is becoming smaller by the moment.
Genetics
What is interesting with Relic is its ability to not only depict and personify dementia but represent the condition as a relic itself. When looking up the definition, one will discover relic is “an object surviving from an earlier time, especially one of historical or sentimental interest.” An object surviving an earlier time. Here, not only is the house a relic but so too is the genetic code that survives and is passed on. Where we each will live and die, the genetic code we pass to our children lives on.
As the mold seeps throughout the house, it is the infection of the mind. But as it infects one mind, it is passed on to infect another. In the final moments of Relic, we see the mold take hold of a small spot of Kay’s back, seen only be her daughter. Thinking they have survived the ordeal and Edna has finally found peace, it is a horrifying discovery for Sam, who in an instant can see the entire scenario playing again in from of her. Will she one day no longer recognize her mother?
Letting go
At the end of the film, Kay stays behind to help her mother move on. Her suffering has almost come to an end, and Kay embraced her role as daughter. While her mother has become unrecognizable – “It’s not gran anymore” – she still treats her as family, like her mother. As she helps to peel the skin away, revealing her mother’s new identity, there is a quiet moment of compassion and understanding. She may no longer remember Kay and she may no longer be the Edna she once knew, but she is still her mother.
The entire film, Kay has spent her time planning for her mother to move to a home, fighting the understanding and acceptance of her mother’s condition. While she knew what she needed to do to care for her mother, there was a distance between them she could not transverse. At this moment, she has let down her guard and her insecurities embracing her mother and accepting what has happened to her.
Conclusion
Honestly, I can not say enough or bestow enough praise on this film. Relic is a brilliant film capturing the effects of dementia, both the rapid progression and the effects it has on all members of the family. Its interpretations and representations run deep and are delicately and intently layered. It is a film that will leave you speechless, enamored with the visual showcase you have just witnessed.
Have you seen Relic? What else did you notice throughout the film? Let us know in the comments below!
Watch Relic
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