Grace [2009]

Grace, is just about as unsettling as they come.  Summed up hastely - it's no more than Three (Very Fucked Up Wo)Men & A Baby.  More deeply, it's the display of the unconditional maternal bond of mother and child, and the subsequent embodiment of horror when tragedy shows it's face.

After bearing two miscarriages, Mike and Madeline, now turned to holistic health and alternative livelihoods, are happily expecting a baby girl.  When a horrific car accident takes the life of Mike and the unborn child, Madeline's life, has inevitably been taken as well.  Having feelings of never being able to experience motherhood or giving birth she decides to takes the pregnancy and terminated infant to term with the help of a naturalist midwife.  Not long after the delivery, the once lifeless baby inside her, awakens...

From then on the story just b-lines it to land of demented fucked-up-ness.  The baby tears through momma's teets like a fat kid to a smarties box 'til they bleed - and Grace f'n loves the shit.  The overly intrusive mother-in-law is hellbent on taking the baby away from now shut in mother - and until she does, her husband will have to keep busy building a crib and sucking her breasts to stimulate the milk glands again - at least until she can pull her milk pump outta the basement.  

The midwife, who's into scratching desk drawers and hiding her true feelings for Madeline from her lesbian assistant, is stalking her.  Flies are god damned everywhere and Jonesy the cat keeps draggin' in dead mice and flinging his shit down the hall.

It's only a matter of time until Madeline runs out of blood - so when a family friend finds his way into the house and noses around just a lil' too much, the tad bit past his best before date hunk of bloody meat is on the menu.  Mmm gravy.

Unlike some of the more recent how-far-can-you-go shockers (Martyrs, Inside, Antichrist) - Grace, I would have a seriously hard time recommending to friends...scratch that, to damn near anyone.  Grace is extremely dark, and layered in a dismal monotone mood, only out-bored by it's painful pacing - but all is intended, and all is needed - remember, we are talking about topic of miscarriages and stillborn pregnancies.  

All in all, it's more drama than horror, more unsettling than shocking, and more twisted than sick.  I really, for lack of a better word - enjoyed Grace, but can't think of anyone else who would.

8/10