Watcher (2022) Dir. Chloe Okuno

Watcher has Maika Monroe starring as Julia who along with her partner Francis (Karl Glusman) moves from the USA to Bucharest owing to his work. Without any employment herself and still learning the language, Julia feels ostracised in this new environment as her occupied husband leaves her alone throughout the day. Whilst in the evening she struggles to engage with his Romanian-speaking friends.

Despite these frustrations, Julia attempts to stay positive but one day notices a man looking into their apartment window from a building across the street. Her apprehension of this stranger turns more serious when a local serial killer is identified on the news who is attacking women.

From the outset, the film sets up its world brilliantly, drawing the viewer into a strange country and feeling Julia’s unease along with her. The simple absence of subtitles when hearing locals speak further raise the atmosphere of distrust and concern.

Over a number of days, Julia sets about her business but after entering a theatre and a shop, an obsessed man appears to follow her, increasing her paranoia. She meets neighbour Irina (Mădălina Anea) who is a friendly and welcoming presence but Julia’s worries about her alleged prowler continue to stoke her fear – not helped by sounds of commotion through the walls into Irina’s flat.

Monroe is outstanding as Julia and director Chloe Okuno handles the main themes brilliantly. She regularly uses the camera and cinematography to heighten all aspects of the angst and suspicion. Those around Julia have doubts about her weary mind and when the police come to her door one night with the alleged stalker, they are in fact investigating her actions, owing to her attempts to follow and confront him at his home.

These sequences of scepticism created by Okuno clearly have a parallel with women not being believed on issues of mistreatment – all the to the point of being unfairly accused themselves.

In addition though, for all the important messages throughout, the film is a fantastic thriller at every alarming turn too. The terror and distress are endlessly palpable as Julia obsesses over this stranger – brilliantly and scarily portrayed by a creepy Burn Gorman (Pacific Rim, Game of Thrones).

With the director getting us to doubt the goings on as much as the protagonist, our imagination too runs wild, which adds much to experiencing the movie.

Watcher is a directorial debut of some importance. Not just the exploration of a host of contemporary themes of anxiety and female mental health but heralding the arrival of a director with huge talent. Chloe Okuno demonstrates an assured grip on mixing meaningful material with an incredibly watchable narrative in an excellent thriller full of twists and tension.

★★★★½

4.5 / 5

Michael Sales