The glue that holds it all together is the cast. Merritt is exquisite as the concerned girlfriend who gets in over her head. Her reactions are believable, but it is in asserting her will, thus inadvertently causing fractures in the House of Usher, that she truly shines through. As Roderick, Tupy excels as being submissive, scared, and still proves how much he cares for Morgan. When telling his mom, he’s decided to move to Paris with his significant other, Tupy nails the scene’s seriousness without sacrificing the palpable dread held in by the four walls.
On the downside, the two of them only have okay chemistry. It’s not bad exactly, but it is not good enough to sell the two characters’ life-altering decisions. This makes certain elements a bit hard to swallow. Though never enough to hurt the drama or mystery.
“…Santiago is pure dynamite…”
Plus, Santiago is pure dynamite as Lady Usher. She commands every scene she’s in, acting as if royalty. Her brusk demeanor never comes across as cruelty, which is very important to ensure Roderick’s devotion can be bought. It is a tricky role because the audience has to hate and respect her at the same time. Santiago pulls it off with ease.
The most interesting thing about Lady Usher is the gender dynamics and social ideology on its mind. It is a bit tricky to discuss at length, for fear of spoilers, but the tale of an empowered woman sticking up for herself and using that power for her gain is captivating. Again, saying more might be spoilery, so hopefully, that makes sense.
Lady Usher is a great modern update of the Poe short. The direction and story structure are pitch-perfect. The cast all deliver dynamic and engaging performances, even when their chemistry is not quite as good as it needs to be to sell every turn. Combine that with the themes and the gangbuster ending, and it all adds up to a movie that demands you watch it.
"…greatly awards the patient viewer..."
