Following the success of his breathtaking feature debut Martha Marcy May Marlene in 2011, writer/director Sean Durkin appeared to be working on several additional projects. After a longer wait than we would have preferred, Durkin made a comeback as a writer and filmmaker with The Nest, a slow-burning drama set in the 1980s that stars Jude Law and Carrie Coon and is currently streaming on Netflix.
The film debuted in theaters in late 2020. As he directed many episodes of Dead Ringers on Prime Video in 2023 and A24’s The Iron Claw, a wrestling drama that is expected to be a 2024 Oscar candidate, Durkin’s popularity only grew. Our goal is to inform you on whether Durkin’s follow-up movie is worth seeing or not.
The Nest: Stream It or Skip It?
The lives of Rory (Jude Law) and Allison (Carrie Coon) are pleasant. It certainly appears that way. In the 1980s, the parents and their two children, Samantha (Oona Roche), a teenager, and Benjamin (Charlie Shotwell), a tween, reside in a comfortable New York home. Ben adores soccer, while Sam is a gymnast. Allison, meanwhile, works at stables and teaches equestrian riding.
Although not ostentatious or exceptional, circumstances appear favorable for all except Rory, who contacts an old business associate in London and manipulates his way into a position there without first consulting his family. Allison receives this information while they are engaging in their morning routine of him delivering coffee to her bedside.
She is not ecstatic about the relocation, as she had anticipated that this would serve as their lasting residence (this is their fourth move in the past decade). However, they proceed, and the group of four individuals soon discovers themselves in a sprawling old farmhouse situated in the English countryside.
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Existing problems in their marriage escalate rapidly once they have achieved a certain degree of resolution. Rory persists in behaving antagonistically in nearly all interactions, both professional and personal, squandering money on unnecessary items in an attempt to attain a better existence than the one he experienced as a child.
Although money is not the most significant obstacle between Rory and Allison, it does not help matters. The eerie home that seems to exacerbate the situation further does not help matters. No simple solutions exist to the issues that The Nest poses regarding marriage, family, and identity.
Performance Worth Watching
Although Oona Roche’s portrayal of Samantha, the adolescent daughter, is particularly noteworthy, Coon and Law are genuinely at their best in this scene, and Charlie Shotwell is outstanding as young Benjamin. She’s a young adult who is far more aware of the stress and reality of their situation than anyone realizes; she’s not just the moody stepdaughter.
She can’t get enough of the camera, especially when it comes to her wordless reactions to her mother’s chats and Rory and Allison’s arguments. Despite being quiet, the performance is captivating. Roche appears to be just getting started, as seen by her meaty position on The Morning Show.
Memorable Dialogue
In its hour and forty-five minutes, The Nest features an abundance of breathtaking exchanges, including a conversation between Rory and a taxi driver that is not only aptly timed but also oddly flawless. However, there was one tense exchange between Samantha and Allison that I cherished immensely, if only because it contained the zinger: “Mom, I am not required to make decisions. “I shall simply find a man to vouch for my decisions.”
Summary
A calm film that is much needed these days, The Nest is a complex, multi-layered story. The Nest is absolutely exceptional because of the outstanding direction by Sean Durkin, and the career-best performances by Law and Coon. For more captivating content follow, Scpsmag.org.