Layla lives on a remote cattle property with her husband, Jack, who has developed a new process for breeding livestock. But the farm is struggling and the isolated existence is not the life Layla dreamed of, especially when a number of unsettling events occur on the property. As Layla starts to question her life with Jack, she discovers that there is a disturbing presence with them on the farm.
Will Howarth and Tom McKeith co-directed In Vitro, which marks Howarth’s first feature-length directing effort. The two co-wrote the movie alongside Talia Zucker (Lake Mungo), who is the film’s primary star. Ashley Zukerman (Succession, Apple Cider Vinegar) co-stars, and Will Howarth (Beast) also gives a notable performance in the latter half of the film.
The trailer does a great job of not giving away what the film is actually about, which is a refreshing change. I’d go so far as to say that the trailer is actually rather misleading, as the film is a very different beast from the one advertised, and not in a bad way at all. It’s thankfully the opposite.
I think the misdirection here is apt, though, as we are spun a tale of twists, lies, deception, and mistrust. In Vitro is more a two-hour exercise in gaslighting than it is a horror film, though there are (just) enough elements throughout the film to classify it as a horror-themed sci-fi film. This is especially true in the latter half of the film.
It’s difficult to go into any more details about the plot of the film without spoiling all the work that went into the trailer. What we can talk about, though, are the themes, of which there are many. Firstly, there is a clear shot at factory farming or CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations). In Vitro does a great job of showing the insensitivity of those in the trade and the callousness with which they operate. The cattle are seen as little more than things and dispatched of quickly when the…experiments aren’t successful.
The theme of animal abuse takes a sudden backseat as the film gears up in act two and three, where domestic abuse, gaslighting, morality, and mortality all take their place on the stage. This is not done subtly, and Zukerman’s Jack goes from a mildly creepy Milo to a stop-at-nothing monster in a matter of minutes. This monster eventually devolves into something sad, as does most of the film. It’s an emotional journey but most of the time, the emotion is sadness. In Vitro does not—in any way—try to inspire anything heartwarming. It is a cold, heartless tale of loss and fragility and how easy it is to lose everything that we have. A lot of this emotion is carried through the vessel that is Zucker’s Layla, who really is the heart of the film. Amazing performance.
I completely understand the film’s 100% fresh rating (at the time of this review). In Vitro is an incredibly well-acted, well-written film. It makes you think, and it makes you feel. Well, it makes you feel depressed, but that is still a feeling, I guess. If you’re into sad, abusive films or have a bit of that schadenfreude in you, then this is definitely one for you.
Thanks for reading and as always, stay sordid. In Vitro is releasing on digital platforms today, September 15th. I have included the trailer and poster art below.
