The Woman in the Yard caught horror fans attention with its scary trailers and the titular figure looming in a family’s yard. Who is this specter? What does she want with this grieving group? Why is today the day? Those were questions that fans wanted answers to. The film indeed takes on themes of identity, loneliness, and helplessness; however, it pursues them in a heavy-handed manner that sometimes feels forced.
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and written by Sam Stefanak, the horror follows Ramona, played by Danielle Deadwyler. After losing her husband David (Russell Hornsby), Ramona struggles with the loss and the injury she sustained in the same accident. In addition, she struggles to raise her two kids, which include her teenage son Taylor (Peyton Jackson), and her adorable young daughter Annie (Estella Kahiha). One day, a mysterious woman all in black (Okwui Okpokwasili) with a veil over her face appears seated in her yard. Needless to say, their day is about to go from bad to much worse.
The Woman in the Yard has scary moments but they feel more dramatic than terrifying. In terms of the aforementioned themes, there’s an appreciation for this film exploring grief and isolation through from Black mother’s experience. Tackling the loss of self, in particular, makes The Woman in the Yard unique; however, it does not deliver thanks to a shoddy script and some flat cast performances among much stronger ones.
Editor’s Note: There will be some minor spoilers to discuss issues with the film.
The Woman in the Yard Authentically Shows How the Self Vanishes in Traditional Roles
Few films honestly confront a parent’s resentment and suffering. Even fewer tackle it from a Black mother’s perspective in a way that builds sympathy and understanding. Even now, society still considers it awful not to want kids and feel anything other than grateful when you have them. However, with motherhood, the self can often disappear, similar to romantic relationships where one loses themself in their partner. A person’s existence outside of their relation to others can begin to feel intangible, and that can usher in anger as well as depression. In this film, Ramona’s resentment as she lives to fulfill everyone else while feeling empty is authentic and a highlight.
Some Performances Were Great While Others Were… Not So Great
As Ramona, Danielle Deadwyler is inescapably at the top of her game. Whether it’s a powerhouse production blending the supernatural, generational love, and trauma like The Piano Lesson, or something promising that fails to stick the execution like The Woman in the Yard, she always puts her whole self into a role. She brings Ramona’s emotions as a grieving, lost, frustrated, and loving woman to screen with expertise. Even when parts of the film drag or feel cluttered, it’s impossible not to connect with her. Russell Hornsby is also wonderful in his few scenes as Ramona’s husband. Through a few brief moments, we see their magic as a couple.
Peyton Jackson mostly works as her teen son, who also feels sympathy and resentment. After all, he’s playing the role of a parent to his little sister. Estella Kahiha is as sweet as Annie, but she lacks distinction. It’s impossible to tell when she feels differing emotions because they all translate the same on her face. Finally, Okwui Okpokwasili as the film’s antagonist delivers such an imposing regality that it feels more intimidating than terrifying. This perhaps would have read differently with a different script.
Akin to The Babadook, The Woman in the Yard‘s primary confrontation comes as an outward manifestation representing the internal turmoil. It’s something inescapable because it’s an aspect of Ramona. The arrival of the woman pushes Ramona further into tunnel vision, specifically a focused belief that she’s more of a hindrance to her children. While this part works, the shift in the latter half of The Woman in the Yard does not feel earned based on the journey to get to the conclusion.
The Woman in the Yard‘s Stilted Screenplay Does Not Flesh Out Characters Nor Conflict
The screenplay is like an essay without enough transitional phrases. It’s impossible to see how it gets from one place to the next. Now, while that can sometimes work in horror, creating disorientation for the audience, there must be a purpose behind it. Here, there is none. For example, there’s one scene where Ramona thinks she’s stabbing someone, but it’s a pillow. One of her kids sees this strange behavior. But, instead of a questioning conversation or an indifference to the action, the film simply goes to the next scene.
Rather than driving home whether this type of thing is the norm for these characters, it indicates the writer had no clue how to approach it and opted not to. It feels incomplete because the writer didn’t know how to connect the dots. Exploring certain subjects, including mental crisis, requires a nuance and experience that is not present. The writer of the screenplay is not a Black woman and it shows.
Tackling a loss of identity is already challenging enough, and the film showed promise there. However, it then switches to much darker and dangerous emotions. But it lacks the proper setup for it. The film might have redeemed itself had it removed the suicidal ideation part entirely and fully leaned into a mother tired of being the “mother.” If the film ended with the mysterious woman snatching a specific person, then the story would not be perfect, but it would be better. Instead, it downgrades through strange scenes to capture Ramona’s conflict with herself. This goes against the entirety of what The Woman in the Yard made her primary issues and fears. The shocking ending therefore feels unearned and insulting to audiences.
The Woman in the Yard had a promising idea lost in a script that could not follow through. Towards the climax, the rushed quality of scenes from the yard to the bedroom to the attic fight lacked suspense. There was little worry because too much was jammed together. Even less of it makes sense because the story is so bent on surprising audiences that it forgets there must be a secure foundation for the surprise. This film squanders a stellar actress and idea on hollow, made-for-tv entertainment.
The Woman in the Yard is now in theaters.
