Movie

If There Be Thorns

2015 · 100 min

A lurid, slow-creeping family melodrama that smothers you in secrets, guilt and dread until the inevitable fiery outburst.

Directed by: Nancy Savoca
Genres: Tv movie, Thriller, Drama
Starring: Heather Graham, Rachael Carpani, Jason Lewis

Overview: Christopher and Cathy Dollanganger live together as man and wife with Cathy's two sons who are unaware of the incestuous nature of their parents' relationship. But when a mysterious woman moves in next door and befriends the younger boy, Bart, he begins a strange transformation and displays accusatory behavior towards Cathy and Christopher. When Christopher discovers their mysterious neighbor is, in fact, his mother Corrine Dollanganger, all of the family's long-hidden secrets are revealed in a tragic climax.

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Directed by: Nancy Savoca
Genres: Tv movie, Thriller, Drama
Starring: Heather Graham, Rachael Carpani, Jason Lewis

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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone: darkstrength 3 of 3
melancholicstrength 2 of 3
tensestrength 2 of 3
campystrength 2 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: family
betrayal
sexuality
obsession
trauma
Places: single country house
suburbs
Era: contemporary
Audience: adult
Form: serialised
true story
Content intensity: Gore mild
Language mild
Violence mild
Sex mild

All scales, 0 to 10

Scales, 0 to 10
Scale	Value	0 to 10
Action	2
Horror	4
Humour	1
Realism	6
Romance	2
Tension	6
Darkness	8
Complexity	5
Emotional weight	7

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Where to watch in the UK

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Details

Genres: tv movie, thriller, drama
Directed by: Nancy Savoca
Written by: Andy Cochran
Starring: Heather Graham, Rachael Carpani, Jason Lewis, Mason Cook, Jedidiah Goodacre, Emily Tennant, Mackenzie Gray, Glynis Davies
Music: Douglas Pipes
Cinematography: James Liston
Runtime: 100 min
Country: Canada, United States of America
Languages: English

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If There Be Thorns

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