Based on a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, writer-director Adrian Langley’s The Oval Portrait will appease fans of the author as well as aficionados of Agatha Christie mysteries and old-timey cinematic spook-fests from the 1940s through the 1970s, before blood-drenched horror became a staple. Boasting impressive production values — especially given its budget limitations — it harks back to a more innocent era: a cozy, stylish, and mildly thrilling feature from a promising filmmaker.
When a burglar breaks into a sinister house, he finds the titular oval portrait of a young lady, her face adorned with an enigmatic smile. Before he can steal it, an apparition appears in the dark and kills him (worry not, it’s a very PG offing — no Insidious-style viscera here). The house’s owner, antique shopkeeper Whitlock (Michael Swatton), discovers the body and casually incinerates it before covering up the painting.
“…an apparition appears in the dark and kills him…”
People are after this painting, you see, and they’ll attempt to steal it again. Meanwhile, aspiring artist Ava (Pragya Shail) gets unceremoniously dumped by both her job and her boyfriend. Fate — a recurring theme throughout — brings her together with Whitlock, offering her the chance to finally showcase her talent. This leads to a finale that neatly ties everything together.
Though modest in ambition, scope, and scale, The Oval Portrait has quite a few things going for it: a fantastic score by Andrew Roger Smith that feels like it could accompany a Cary Grant flick, spot-on grainy cinematography by Langley (who also edited and produced the film), and natural performances from its two leads. Swatton exudes both creepiness and longing, while Shail is charming and easy to root for.
Ultimately, The Oval Portrait plays as a darkly gothic love story about resurrecting the past and living up to one’s ambition. It may take a little while to get going, and it never quite reaches nerve-rattling heights, but it remains an atmospheric, spooky, stylish, and entertaining little movie that honors its source material. Langley proves himself a filmmaker to watch. Grab a hot cuppa, the fuzziest blanket you’ve got, and settle in.
"…an atmospheric, spooky, stylish, and entertaining little movie..."
