Film review: Babycall

THERE are some interesting things about this muted chiller about a single mother going quietly mad after running out on her violent husband – most of them revolving around Swedish Girl With the Dragon Tattoo star Noomi Rapace’s lead performance.

Babycall (15)

Directed by: Pål Sletaune

Starring: Noomi Rapace, Vetle Qvenild Werring, Kristoffer Joner

* * *

As the increasingly paranoid Anna, she brings a raw, believable sense of vulnerability to a role that requires us to be on her side while also casting doubts upon the veracity of her plight. That sense of ambiguity she imbues proceedings with works especially well in the film’s early stages, during which the low-tech baby monitoring device Anna buys to keep tabs on her son starts picking up disturbing signals from a neighbouring flat. Alas, as it becomes clear that the film is going to jump the shark with some paranormal activity, all the effort that’s gone into establishing the realistic setting counts for naught as unremarkable twists defy the logic of the world that’s been set up without even delivering any satisfying rug-pulling shocks or good old-fashioned scares. Still, Rapace at least proves there’s more to her than looking sullen and acting tough.