What We Hide Review: A Gripping Yet Flawed Opioid Crisis Thriller
In Dan Kay's southern US-set drama What We Hide, the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic takes centre stage as two sisters face an unthinkable dilemma. The film opens with a harrowing scene: Jacey, a mother fatally overdosed on drugs, is hastily bundled into a car trunk by her daughters. This uncredited role, while poignant, starkly highlights the grim realities of addiction, serving as a powerful, if bleak, commentary on the crisis ravaging communities across America.
Sisters Forced into Desperate Measures
Eleven-year-old Jessie, portrayed with heartfelt depth by Jojo Regina, responds to the tragedy with a mix of innocence and resilience, offering loving words amidst the chaos. In contrast, her 15-year-old sister Spider, played by McKenna Grace, exhibits a hardened, practised indifference born from years of managing their mother's addiction. Spider's immediate concern is practical: reporting the death would inevitably lead to the sisters being separated by the care system. Determined to stay together, she takes charge, running the household and fending off threats from Jacey's junkie boyfriend Reece, portrayed by Dacre Montgomery, while scrambling to find a lasting solution.
The film's central premise hinges on a significant implausibility—the psychological and logistical challenges of concealing a decomposing body in a shed for weeks. This narrative choice, while dramatic, often strains credibility, pulling viewers out of the story's emotional core. What We Hide struggles with focus, as it introduces various characters who drift in and out of the sisters' lives without substantial development. These include the skeezy boyfriend, a hovering social worker played by Tamara Austin, and a solicitous local sheriff brought to life by Jesse Williams of Grey's Anatomy fame. None are fleshed out enough to generate genuine suspense or complex character dynamics.
Missed Opportunities and Emotional Sparks
Despite these shortcomings, the film occasionally flirts with deeper themes. Passing hints of southern gothic atmosphere or a fairytale-like suspension of normality fail to fully materialise, leaving the plot reliant on plain realism that occasionally veers into melodrama, such as during Jessie's climactic asthma attack. However, the performances from the lead actors salvage much of the film's emotional weight. Regina delivers a nuanced portrayal of Jessie, blending sentimentality with gutsy determination, while Grace shines as Spider, a proxy mother whose hypocrisies and blunders poignantly reveal her underlying childhood vulnerability.
The most compelling subplot involves Spider's tentative romance with Cody, a convenience-store clerk and amateur photographer played by Forrest Goodluck. This relationship threatens to ignite emotionally, offering a glimmer of wisdom about art's potential to transcend trauma. The undeniably touching sisterly rapport between Jessie and Spider provides the film's heart, showcasing their bond in the face of adversity. Yet, What We Hide ultimately feels too facile, lacking the depth needed to fully explore the complexities of the American soul amidst the opioid crisis.
Available on digital platforms from 16 February, this thriller offers a sobering look at familial bonds tested by addiction, though it falls short of its ambitious potential. The film serves as a stark reminder of the human cost behind the statistics, even if its execution doesn't always match its powerful premise.
