The Horror Show
Bethany
by James Cullen Bressack
I think that every child, boy or girl, usually goes through the imaginary friend phase. I had one as a kid. Her name was Lisa and she lived in my mirror. Yeah, I was a creepy kid that grew into a creepier adult. I'm just glad my imaginary friend was nothing like Claire's.
Bethany is the tale of Claire (Stefanie Estes) and her husband, Aaron (Zack Ward) moving into her childhood home after her abusive and over-bearing mother, Susan (Shannen Doherty) has died. Growing up, Claire was abused horribly by her mother as Susan only wanted perfection from Claire. Claire's only solace from her Mother's incessant need for perfection was talking to her imaginary friend that lived in the wall, Bethany. It's understandable why Claire is very reluctant to move back in to this house full of terrible memories, but Aaron thinks it would be good for them both. We learn that Claire has been struggling. They lost a baby. Claire tried to kill herself. Claire's psychiatrist, Dr. Brown (Tom Green) is very encouraging. Aaron is super supportive. Bethany is trying to drive her insane, or worse, kill her. Little does Claire know, Bethany is more than she seems.
This movie was so much fun! I was constantly trying to figure out if this was a ghost story, a psychological breakdown, or if it was a human messing with poor Claire. I loved the practical effects mixed with the computer-generated stuff. It gave it a feeling of “is it real or is it in her head?” that I adored. Some of the effects really grossed me out. Fingernail and Zack Ward's corn flakes. That's all I'm saying ‘cause if I think too hard I'm going to puke.
Speaking of Zack Ward, the cast was very likable. He always plays the most charming characters. Even Skut Farkus had charm. Tom Green blew me away! I was not expecting this from a man who once sucked a cow's tit for entertainment. His speech about how he missed Canada in this film warmed my heart as a self-proclaimed Canuckophile. Stefanie Estes was heartbreaking. I felt for her every second she was on screen. Shannen Doherty as her mother was absolutely terrifying.
This movie was scary, but it was like layers of horror. The horror of abuse, death, hatred, loss, being unloved, and being forgotten. It was so well written by the director, James Cullen Bressack and Zack Ward. I love it when horror movies make me feel and this one made me so happy! Don't let this one slip by you. Bethany is available for streaming on Hulu right now. Go watch!
Robin Thompson, HMS
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