Lies We Tell

Lisa Mulcahy's 2023 Irish film is adapted from Sheridan Le Fanu's gothic novel Uncle Silas. Set in 1864, it follows Maude, an heiress who loses her father and is placed under the guardianship of her uncle Silas. Silas carries accusations about a death in his past. He regards Maude's inheritance as rightfully his and plans to marry her to his son; the narrative draws its tension not from the supernatural but from legal and physical entrapment inside the house. Agnes O'Casey leads and drew notice for her performance; David Wilmot plays the uncle. The images are dark, the spaces narrow and the pace slow. The screenplay is by Elisabeth Gooch. Who it's for: those who like gothic period thrillers and literary adaptation. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a driven thriller; the film spends a long time building its tension.