Frewaka Review

Frewaka is incredibly creepy, slow burning minor masterpiece disorientating folk-horror took me into uncomfortable spaces of tension. Small town Irish people being creepy is a fascinating and eerie masterly crafted experience directed by Aislinn Clarke, responsible for excellent found-footage chiller, The Devil’s Doorway (2018).

Frewaka, is phonetic spelling of Irish word for roots ‘Freamhach’ and importantly throughout, there’s sporadic traditional dialect spoken, only adding to the uncertainty to what is actually going on.

Clare Monnelly as Shoo, a palliative care worker assigned to visit a reclusive, seemingly unstable senior citizen in a small remote town where right from the moment of arrival, it’s noticeable something is not quite right.

Personal dramas and history unfold behind the scenes, Shoo has a partner back at home sorting through her late mother’s possessions creating tension on their relationship. Back in the town, eyes are on Shoo whilst visiting the rickety, filthy, notorious house where the locally regarded dubious patient resides, known as Peig.

Celtic folklore makes its presence known gradually with townspeople getting weirder with each confrontation with Shoo.

Is it paranoia, stress levels of trying to be responsible in her duties as a care worker or maybe the meds Shoo needs are not completely doing their intended job.

Keeping fairly spoiler free, there’s clearly a cult emerging around Shoo as she discovers sinister secrets and lies. Isolation keeps her trapped and vulnerable, particularly as ancestry may actually be linked to this elevating nightmare.

Unique in its own way, although expect somewhat familiarity to certain genre films including striking The Wicker Man style masks, making an appearance.

Hybrid music by Die Hexen, really pulsates, giving chills at the right moments.

On fire Connelly, is dynamic as emotive Shoo, a lead honing in on scorching into your senses as she struggles to survive or stay sane. I loved Olga Wehrly as the mysterious Deirdre, supposedly from the company Shoo works for, however in a moment with a closed door, there’s something else on her mind.

This mythological horror is paralleled with the true distressing stories of The Magdalene Laundries, also known as Magdalene Asylums, not a pretty picture.

First choice filmmaker Aislinn Clarke needs to do more movies, a talent behind the camera on a budget with a skill to build mental attrition.