Orchid, written and directed by Jacque Rabie, from a story by Rabie and Jacob Vaus, is a tale of manipulation, obsession, lust, and love. Gus (Vaus) is a young man clearly troubled by something in his past. He’s a houseguest of Henrietta (Varda Appleton), a woman in her early 50s or so. Their interactions are awkward, as Gus makes it clear he fantasizes about her, but Henrietta is not swayed in that direction by him. However, she does lead Gus on, intentionally or not, by allowing him to paint her nails and telling him of her dreams involving wild animals. Is she doing this for the attention, to keep Gus doing the chores, or subconsciously?
This slightly strange but liveable situation soon has a wrench thrown into it in the form of Teddy (Ron Grigsby). Teddy is an old friend of Henrietta, and it’s clear the two share a spark for something more. The older man takes a liking to Gus and even gets the young man back in touch with his love for baseball. But as Teddy and Henrietta’s relationship evolves, Gus’s precarious mental state slips further and further away. Will Gus take things too far, or will his friendship with Henrietta break through his downward spiral?
“…as Teddy and Henrietta’s relationship evolves, Gus’s precarious mental state slips further and further…”
Orchid begins stilted and stiff. Gus and Henrietta’s early conversation in her back garden is inelegant and never settles into a natural flow. This means viewers’ introduction to these characters, their relationship, and their world is a little clumsy. But that turns out to be the point. Gus, who seems to be well-intentioned (at first), does not relate to others in the same way most people do. This is highlighted when Teddy enters the picture, putting Henrietta more at ease and more herself. Teddy’s bubbly, fun personality even gets Gus to become less guarded, or at least less in his own way. The arcs for Henrietta and Gus are compelling, though Teddy does not have one. To be fair, he’s meant to be an instrument of change for the other two, so he does not necessarily need one.
Vaus is very good as the troubled lead, especially in the more dangerous/tension-filled moments as Gus loses his already tenuous grip on reality. Appleton is both likable and hatable as the manipulating lady both men are vying for. The actor makes her character’s actions seem to be without malice. Yes, Henrietta gets Gus to do the chores, but it appears that he enjoys being helpful. Grigsby is a delight and projects sheer fun and honesty in every scene.
Orchid is an engaging thriller with a wild ending. While the beginning is awkward, that is the point, even if audiences do not know that at first. But once all the pieces are in play and the cast gets to dig in, the film becomes highly fascinating and intense.
"…an engaging thriller with a wild ending."
