Nordic Watchlist shares their review of Mattias Johansson Skoglund ‘s The Home from Glasgow Film Festival

The Home (Hemmet) arrives as a quietly unsettling addition to the wave of Scandinavian horror that blends the supernatural with the deeply personal. The film uses its eerie premise not simply to frighten, but to probe the vulnerabilities that come with ageing, caregiving and unresolved family wounds. From its opening moments, it signals that this is a story where the horrors of the past and the terrors of the unknown are in constant conversation. What follows is a slow-burning, emotionally charged descent into a world where memory, guilt and the supernatural collide.

The film, which is based on Mats Strangberg’s novel of the same name, opens with a slow zoom on an old-fashioned, well-used kitchen. There’s a crash and a clatter off-screen, followed by several cries for help. The tap slowly fills the sink to overflowing. This is the home of Monika (Anki Lidén), and she’s had a stroke that was so intense she was dead for seven minutes. Her son, Joel (Philip Oros), therefore must return to his hometown to ensure that she is moved into a proper care facility, as she can no longer cope on her own. But what happened to Monika during those seven minutes on “the other side”? And who has she brought back with her? 

From the offset, writer / director Mattias Johansson Skoglund gives viewers all of the familiar tropes of a good horror – an isolated rural home, a care facility that has more than a hint of the uncanny and a fractured familial relationship. Of course, the very notion of getting older is scary in itself, not least if you have lost control of your mind, your body or both. And whilst this film caters to those who love a good jumpscare, it also speaks to bigger issues such as intergenerational trauma and domestic violence. 

Anki Lidén’s performance, as Monika, is utterly compelling throughout. She starts the film as an anxious, vulnerable old woman who is clinging on to the hope of remaining in the family home. Tears fill her eyes as she begs her son not to leave her at the care home. Her transformation throughout, into something altogether more venomous and sinister is really convincing.

Philip Oros, as Joel, carries a weariness in him from the very start. He is clearly not the favourite son and his upbringing sounds as if it was full of violence and bullying. It is also clear that he doesn’t want to be back in his hometown, surrounded by memories of such a dark time. The supporting cast includes the likes of Gizem Erdogan as Nina, a carer who was also a childhood friend of Joel’s, and Lily Wahlsteen, another career who finds herself on the wrong side of Monika. 

The care home setting is fantastic for the genre. The sunshine yellow walls of the living room quickly give way to never-ending hospital green corridors, complete with flickering overhead lights. There’s a sepia hue to everything, like a nostalgic photograph (although there is nothing pleasant about this place). There are anxious residents banging on doors, talking to plush toys, staring into space or begging for the screaming to stop.

There’s also a lot of talking directly to the camera, positioning the viewer in the space of the actor, which lends an uncomfortable proximity to the unfolding torment. Equally, Johansson Skoglund makes use of sweeping scopes of darkened rooms, again, placing you directly in the care facility, keeping you on edge throughout. The assorted cast of residents leave you entirely unsure as to whether or not it is age that is making them act strangely or whether something more malevolent is at large. 

But The Home is definitely a film that uses horror to convey a deeper message. More than enough hints are given about Monika’s marriage to Bengt (Peter Jankert), and the violence he inflicted upon her. More than this, Joel’s guilt over not being able to protect his mother – and for being singled out as gay by his abusive father – pervades every aspect of who he is as an adult. His desire to keep her safe, now, is utterly desperate. As the film builds to its dramatic conclusion, it does leave you gasping for air a little, especially as the ending is not neatly tied up in a bow. 

The Home succeeds in grounding its scares in the emotional realities of its characters. The film lingers long after the credits roll, not just because of its chilling imagery, but because of the painful truths it unearths about family, responsibility and the shadows we inherit. It’s a horror film that asks you to look beyond the jump scares and consider the lingering impact of trauma, making it as haunting in its themes as it is in its execution.

The Home will screen at Glasgow Film Festival – look out for our interview with lead star Philip Oros.

“The Home (Hemmet) arrives as a quietly unsettling addition to the wave of Scandinavian horror that blends the supernatural with the deeply personal”

The Home is screening at Glasgow Film Festival – any further news of a UK or USA release we will keep you posted on.