Review: Porcelain (2024)

The effects of abuse and mental illness are a common subject in the horror genre. Using horror to explore these topics is a very effective way to convey what the victims go through everyday. There is a new feature film on Amazon Prime that addresses this topic with a supernatural spin.  Actress and Producer Nicole Nigalia makes her feature film debut with Porcelain. In Porcelain,  Elise learns her estranged father had passed away forcing her to return to her childhood home with her boyfriend to handle the estate. While in her childhood home, she begins to feel as if something sinister is in the house haunting her. Soon the line between reality and nightmare blurs as her past comes back to haunt her.

Porcelain is an emotionally dark, sharply executed dramatic horror film that keeps you guessing. The viewer joins Elise’s descent into darkness as she is continually triggered by various items in the house, like the old dolls she played with as a kid. I loved the uneasy atmosphere that is conveyed every time we are inside the home. The director also helps maintain the question of “Is the house actually haunted or is it Elise that is internally haunted by the abuse of her past?” There are not a lot of special effects, but there is some creative camera work by cinematographer Richard Trejo that helps keep things creepy. The dolls help enhance the horror even though they do not move or do any Chucky-like things. The story is played very straight and with the seriousness needed given the subject matter.

Nigalia is not only behind the camera but also in front of it as Elise. She puts in an emotionally charged performance that could not have been easy to pull off while also directing. She drifts from being feeling disconnected emotionally to her boyfriend, to loving him, to being overwhelmed by forces in the home tormenting her. As things about Elise’s past come to the surface, you feel major sympathy for her. You also feel sympathy for Caleb, her boyfriend played by Hunter Johnson. When we meet him he seems a little possessive and quick to jealousy. But as the story unfolds, we see how much he loves Elise. He goes through his own challenges as he weighs staying with the woman he loves, who is suffering from mental illness, or just leaving. All of that comes through thanks to Johnson’s performance.

What stood out most is the portrayal of someone suffering from mental illness due to abuse. This is sometimes handled either too softly or is portrayed so over the top it feels like it is almost comical. Porcelain addresses it just right. You feel for the victim, understand why they are the way they are and also feel for those around them who just want to help even when the victim refuses it. Given my own personal experiences, I related with both on a number of levels, making watching what Elise goes through tough in certain scenes.

This is a character driven, slow and steady horror film that may not be for those looking for a scare a minute. While there are scary supernatural elements to the story, Elise’s breakdowns are even more scary, especially for those who have experienced something similar in real life. This isn’t going to be for all horror fans but if you enjoy solid, psychological dramatic horror stories then you will want to watch Porcelain.