Suppressed memories come a-knocking in this surrealist horror film about an uncanny hotel.
Rose, an aspiring actress in Los Angeles, escapes the suffocating city for a remote, mysterious hotel after a body-shaming casting call and a visit from her overbearing mother-in-law. But soon her past starts to catch up with her, and she finds herself adrift in a sinister dream world.
Director Julie Pacino – yes, Al’s daughter – delivers an excellent debut with psychological horror film I Live Here Now. While clearly a David Lynch fan, Pacino creates a surrealist world that is entirely her own, exploring themes like abortion, body dysmorphia and toxic friendships. Her background as a photographer is evident in her visual style, a sumptuous, kitschy abundance of purple lighting, soft velvet and pink hearts. The predominantly female cast is impressive, with Madeline Brewer (Janine from The Handmaid’s Tale) standing out as a hotel guest with a weird streak.
