The Rule of Jenny Pen review by Bobby Blakey
In my opinion the most terrifying films are those focusing on real life with often times no reason why horrific acts are being committed. I mean I love a truly scary film, but those that bleed more into the real world can really affect you mentally. The latest, The Rule of Jenny Pen is one of those that kind of came out of nowhere with unexpected casting in John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush. Could this film trigger something uncomfortable in audiences or will it follow the unwavering rules of a madman?
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The Rule of Jenny Pen follows a former Judge confined to a secluded rest home and trapped within his stroke-ridden body, who must stop an elderly psychopath who employs a child's puppet to abuse the home's residents with deadly consequences.
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John Lithgow is one of my all-time favorite actors and I especially love him when he is unhinged such as in Ricochet, Raising Caine and his stint on Dexter. Knowing he was going probably further into the darkness in this film had me instantly interested and added the greatness of Rush and I had some high hopes. I wasn’t sure what the tone was going to be, but it’s not a scary horror film, but more uneasy and unsettling at times.
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The story is simple, with setting up enough of Rush’s character as the Judge to get him into the rest home before things go from bad to much, much worse. There are kind of two layers to this story with one being the struggle and depressing nature of the judge trying to push through his recovery while also having to accept the possibility that this is his life now. Add to the mix this insane person tormenting him and those around him and it adds yet another struggle to survive that amp’s things up to chaos.
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The film has multiple layers to the context from elder abuse, power, bullying, depression and everything in between. Rush is fantastic in his role with not only having to bring the wide array of emotions to his role with everything that is transpiring in his own body and the place around him, but the physicality of bring limited with his mobility. You feel his anger, fear, frustration and desperation from start to finish in ways that will break your heart and instill the fear in the thought of what he is going through.
Rush is excellent, but for me it is Lithgow who brings it home. He is completely unhinged here. Everything he does is off from the insane ways he torments them and the use of the doll/puppet to his persona along with simple tasks such as just eating lunch. He embodies this role in a terrifying way, bringing to life someone that is truly one to fear. He isn’t scary in the usual sense, but more methodical and sparce as he navigates his own head game and physical torture to the residents. You will hate him in every fiber of your being and feel dirty seeing him in action, but embrace his genius, nonetheless.
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There is something about horror elements involving older people as victims or the crazies that to me make it creepier. Being able to get these two iconic powerhouse actors in this film elevates it and they truly went all in with the performance and embracing the insanity of it all. I love that while there is sort of a backstory to Lithgow’s character it isn’t one that really explains his behavior fully making him all the more unhinged and worrisome.
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I really loved this flick and the unexpected nature and direction it goes. There is a Hitchcockian element to its visual style that further cemented its success.
Decide for yourself and check out The Rule of Jenny Pen streaming now on Shudder and still in some theaters.