A Banquet
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A Banquet
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that A Banquet is a psychological horror movie with themes around eating disorders, mental health, and suicide, with occasional strong language. When Betsey (Jessica Alexander), a teenage girl stops eating, claiming her body has become a vessel for a higher power, her mother, Holly (Sienna Guillory), is put to the test. Anorexia is mentioned and there is a scene of force-feeding. There is also a scene where a character tries to take their own life by drinking bleach. Infrequent strong language includes variants of "f--k" and "s--t," and teens drink alcohol, smoke, and take drugs. There are some gory scenes involving blood, and a nightmare sequence with body horror aspects, but there are very few direct scares. Younger viewers may find the adult themes confusing and frightening, but more patient mid-teens upward may enjoy the creepy atmosphere and complex issues.
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What's the Story?
In A BANQUET, teenager Betsey (Jessica Alexander) wanders into the woods at a party and comes back changed, alluding to a higher power and refusing to eat. As she is pulled further into a strange psychological state, her mother, Holly (Sienna Guillory), is torn between love and fear as she questions her understanding of everything.
Is It Any Good?
The debut film from director Ruth Paxton is full of intriguing ideas and strong performances, but never quite finds its focus. A Banquet centers on the relationship between a recently bereaved mother and daughter. Exploring the dynamics between the two, it manages to keep the relationship at arm's length, the strangely organized and dimly lit interiors of their home further serving to create the feeling of a space that is not quite real, where the picture is not quite complete.
So many ideas are thrown into the mix, it's fascinating just watching to see which will win out. There's trauma, adolescent drama, hysteria, possession, doomsday, mental health, eating disorders, religious epiphany, existential crisis, caring, faith ... the list goes on. But it's the inability to really steer in any one direction that ultimately lets the movie down. Open ends are great, but when there are too many, there's a danger of nothing concrete left at the core. One for the more patient horror fans, who appreciate psychodrama over scares, it's a highly unique film that will most certainly unsettle, but not quite make the impact to live up to its potential.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how A Banquet dealt with themes surrounding eating disorders. How did the film portray Betsey's relationship with food, and how did she, and those around her, deal with her refusal to eat? Why is it important that mental illness is portrayed sensitively in films?
Discuss some of the language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the plot?
How did the movie depict teen drinking, smoking, and drug use? Were they glamorized? What were the consequences?
Discuss the focus on the female experience. How might the film have been different (if at all) had the cast included other genders in the lead characters?
How scary was the movie? What's most scary about it? What's the appeal of scary movies?
Movie Details
- In theaters: February 18, 2022
- On DVD or streaming: February 18, 2022
- Cast: Sienna Guillory, Jessica Alexander, Ruby Stokes
- Director: Ruth Paxton
- Studio: IFC Midnight
- Genre: Horror
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters, High School
- Run time: 97 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: October 8, 2022
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