Marrowbone (film)

Did You Know?

• In May 2016, it was announced Sergio G. Sánchez would write and direct the film, with J. A. Bayona executive producing.
• Belen Atienza produced the film.
• In July 2016, Anya Taylor-Joy, Mia Goth, George MacKay and Charlie Heaton joined the cast.

Plot

In 1968, Rose Fairbairn moved with her four children—Jack, Jane, Billy, and Sam—from England to her old family house in rural Maine, which she called the Marrowbone Residence. She instructed them to use her maiden name, Marrowbone. A local girl named Allie became friends with the family. Rose’s health declined quickly, and she died, leaving Jack, the oldest child, responsible for his siblings. On her deathbed, Rose made Jack swear to keep the family together and conceal her death until he could legally become their guardian. Not long after, a man appeared on the property, alarming Jane and Jack. Six months later, the siblings were still living in the house, with mirrors covered to guard against a supposed ghost in the loft. Jack went into town for supplies and began a romance with Allie, who worked at the library, while keeping his family’s secret. Tom Porter, the local lawyer handling the Marrowbone estate, had romantic feelings for Allie that she did not return. Tom told Jack he needed to collect the fee and Rose’s signature to complete the estate transfer. Needing money and afraid Tom would discover Rose’s death, the siblings decided to use their father’s money box and forge Rose’s signature on the documents. After a series of strange events, they came to believe the ghost was their father, who had been bricked up in the attic and left to starve after he found them. Meanwhile, Tom tried to convince Allie to move to New York with him for a new job at a large law firm, but she refused. Before leaving, he gave her information about the Marrowbone family history. Allie discovered that their father, Simon Fairbairn, was a convicted serial killer who had escaped from prison and might be hunting them. She also learned that Simon had abused Jane, and that Sam was the child of Simon and Jane. Jane remained convinced that Simon was still alive.

Release

Marrowbone first screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2017. Universal Pictures brought it to Spanish theaters on October 27, 2017, and it later opened in the United Kingdom on July 13, 2018, with a digital release following on November 18. According to Rotten Tomatoes, 49% of 75 reviews are positive, giving an average rating of 5.40 out of 10. Critics there agreed that the film's strong cast and atmospheric setting could not compensate for underdeveloped characters and a lack of real scares. On Metacritic, based on five reviews, the film holds a weighted score of 63 out of 100, which falls into the "generally favorable" range.