Stonehearst Asylum aka Eliva Graves (2014) Review!!

Synopsis – A recent medical school grad who takes a position at a mental institution soon finds himself taken with one of his colleagues — though he has no initial idea of a recent, horrifying staffing change.

My Take – This film is a perfect example of a film, even with a stellar known cast at its bay, arrives without any hype or news! Its highly unfortunate as this Gothic thriller happens to among the best films I have seen in recent times. For those who happened to stumble upon its trailers, you should know its not a Horror film as its made out to be! I love films centering around the period of 19th-20th centuries – Victorian era, the gloomy atmospheres & the trails & tributes of comparatively less knowledgeable folk of the time is something which fascinates me! Maybe thats why I love The Women in Black films way more than the genuine horror fans. This film centers on arguably the most terrifying of all places – a mental asylum (Also check out the amazing Fox series – American Horror Story: Asylum). This film is set at Stonehearst–a mental hospital in the middle of nowhere. The place is a fancy asylum for folks with lots of money and a new doctor Dr. Edward Newgate (Jim Sturgess) has just arrived there. However, it soon becomes painfully clear that the chief physician Dr Silas Lamb (Ben Kingsley), who runs the place just ain’t right. During an early scene at medical school, a callous physician, The Alienist (Brendan Gleeson), demonstrates the treatment of a hysterical woman, Eliza Graves (Kate Beckinsale) who cannot stand to be touched without going berserk.

She bite off a chunk of her sadistic husband’s ear and has been committed to the asylum. Later, when young Newgate shows up at Stonehearst, he discovers that Graves is an inmate there. Dr. Lamb practices a method that he refers to as ‘soothing’ in which he allows the inmates more freedom than they have ever enjoyed and does not keep them shot-up on drugs. About a half-hour into Anderson’s film, Newgate learns to his shock a secret of the asylum upon meeting Benjamin Salt (Michael Caine). And then we’re off for an old-fashioned detective thriller where Newgate is trying to figure out what hidden secrets there are within the walls. A costume film with lots of candlelight and haughty corridors and dungeons. Even though I am compelled to divulge what the secret is, I wont! The film has enough twists & surprises thrown your way to keep hooked to “crazy” climax, well which also ends with a twist! “Machinist” director Brad Anderson has captured a terrifying idea that we can’t trust medical professionals, let alone professionals of mental institution, in secluded England rural of last century no less. The movie plays with this innate distress particularly well, although it does venture to more preposterous realm sometimes. Its star power and great original source make for a great mystery thriller and while it doesn’t necessary produce genuine terror, it will most likely be pleasant to horror genre enthusiasts. The director want’s to ask our self – what really is madness? How do we define it? What makes someone mad or sane? And how can we tell the difference? That’s the questions he wants to pose to us, and at points he does, but for the most part it’s just a great thrill ride that often makes no sense at all but is always enjoyable. The film attempts to give us a riddle to solve that links back into the bigger questions of the movie, but in truth no one cares for them, because we get so wrapped up in the shared fun of the film that we can’t help but ignore anything that will take away from it, like continuity or a plot.

I am perfectly happy to watch this film which feels like a mash up of The Adam’s Family, One Few Over The Coockoo’s Nest & Van Helsing to worry about the loop holes story. That’s what the film does well, it keeps it’s ideas and self together, it’s ideas are in focus as in the central plot; Man goes to Asylum, something isn’t right, what’s he going to do about it? That in a nutshell is the story! The film feature top-notch performances by brilliant actors. It was nice to see Jim Sturgess again. I wonder why he is not in more films. He is a great talent. Kate Beckinsale gives one of the best performances of her career. And I don’t know how she keeps getting prettier & more graceful every year! Ben Kingsley & Michael Caine are awesome as always!The whole film you wait for these two to meet in a scene and when they do it is worth it. David Thewlis proves how much he fits in these period films. Bredan Gleeson is likeable in a small role. Unfortunately I’ve no idea how this relates to the works of Edgar Allen Poe, well obviously as I have not read any of his works. Anderson clearly takes delight in all the proceedings, which is one of the reasons the film feels fresh. While the film might lack some the macabre drama and dark humor expected by such period films, it still does a fine job of conveying a creepy, engaging thriller with a brilliant Gothic atmosphere and fine performances from its terrific ensemble cast. Director Brad Anderson, man behind several episodes of Fringe, the classic The Machinist and the so so Halle Berry thriller/horror The Call, shaped up as one of the most capable directors of creating the proper scary eerie foreboding atmosphere and also the most suspense ones. On the whole, ‘Stonehearst Asylum’ or ‘Eliza Graves’ is a must-see for any fan of a quality narrative, for any fan of a thriller. It will leave you thinking about what you have seen for several more days. Watch it without knowing as little as possible thus you can enjoy it to the fullest! Highly Entertaining!!