Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Strong, touching horror-thriller tackles grief & depression.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Woman in the Yard
What's the Story?
In THE WOMAN IN THE YARD, Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler) is barely keeping it together after the death of her husband, David (Russell Hornsby), who was killed in a car crash that also injured Ramona's leg. She's living on the family's fixer-upper ranch house with her kids, 14-year-old Taylor (Peyton Jackson) and 6-year-old Annie (Estella Kahiha), and wakes up one morning to find that the power is out, and her phone's battery is dead. The family then discovers a strange woman (Okwui Okpokwasili), covered by an opaque black scarf, sitting in a chair in their front yard. Ramona tries to figure out who the woman is and what she's doing there but only gets vague answers. The day passes, and tensions rise as Taylor wants to do something about the situation, but Ramona insists that they stay inside. As late afternoon approaches, the woman's shadow is able to reach inside the house, forcing the family to hide in the attic. They must figure out what the woman wants before it's too late.
Is It Any Good?
This horror-thriller gets a bit muddled toward the end, with scares that are a little on the routine side, but it's a surprisingly sincere, neatly directed look at grief and depression. Deadwyler gives a deeply committed and touching performance as Ramona in The Woman in the Yard, a mother who's trying to keep everything together but is clearly suffering over something she either can't name or won't discuss. And young actors Kahiha and Jackson are superb scene partners for her, matching her energy.
Director Jaume Collet-Serra, whose previous forays into horror (House of Wax, Orphan) left a bit to be desired, keeps things sturdy and focused here, using sounds (a bouncing ball, a clicking flashlight) to clever effect and finding ways to rhyme certain images in satisfying ways. As the movie arrives in its third act, its confidence in the material dips, and it tries to throw in a few overly familiar horror-movie clichés that do little but confuse things. (Certainly horror hounds who watch this movie just for the scares are going to be disappointed.) But fortunately The Woman in the Yard comes out the other side just fine, sticking to its themes and even delivering a strong ending.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Woman in the Yard's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes enjoy being scared?
How is the topic of suicide dealt with? What should you do if you're worried about a friend or family member? If you or someone you love is in crisis, you can contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.
How are death and mourning depicted?
What is the relationship between the family members like? Between the mother and her children? Between the siblings? Do they communicate well?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 28, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : April 15, 2025
- Cast : Danielle Deadwyler , Peyton Jackson , Estella Kahiha
- Director : Jaume Collet-Serra
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 88 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : terror, some violent content/bloody images, suicide-related content, and brief strong language
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : April 15, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate