Parents' Guide to The Kindred

This British horror mystery pulls you in immediately and doesn't let go. The Kindred's opening scene starts with a distressed woman running from a building, before a body falls from the sky, and she's hit by a car. This promising start is delivered upon as the supernatural murder mystery unfolds at satisfying pace. It's a mid-budget horror with dark subject matter. But the filmmaking is fun, keeping it on the right side of enjoyable. There's a lot going on, too -- exploring themes of guilt, ghosts, blame, motherhood, and more -- in its tight and sometimes twisty story.

The performances are as solid as the pacing. Pearson (Skins) flits between haunted, tormented, and determined from scene to scene. During one party scene in particular, she brilliantly -- and believably -- shows a cool detachment from the world around her as she sits with her own turmoil. As the kind and caring Greg, Blake Harrison (The Inbetweeners UK) is a warm and welcome presence. While the cameo from king of oddball indie movies, Steve Oram, is fantastic. Oram's deadpan delivery as a scruffy paranormal investigator lights up the screen and plays a vital part in uncovering the mystery. Occasionally televisual but not to its detriment, The Kindred is a perfectly paced indie horror packed with plenty of themes to explore, lots of thrills, and great performances.