Horror comes in many forms. For some its a masked maniac exacting their revenge on group of horny camp counselors. For others it is a bloodthirsty horde of the undead ready to gorge themselves on your flesh. For others still, their horrors, their fears, are a little more human, but definitely not any less terrifying or impactful in their brutality. Rob (Cian Barry) is nothing short of suicidal after the untimely and tragic death of his girlfriend Nina. His despondency to obvious to just about every one that crosses his path but fellow coworker Holly (Abigail Hardingham) takes particular interest in the forlorn Rob and pursues a friendship. Friendship quickly turns to romance and the two decide to take their relationship to the next level when things go horribly awry. You see, as much as Rob would like to move on with his life, his late ex just happens to show up in full gory glory whenever whenever there’s a little friction beneath the bedsheets. Nina (Fiona O’Shaughnessy) comes complete with more than just a little sarcasm in addition to her always crimson entrance and Rob and his new love interest start examining the possibilities of living with the supernatural threesome.
I was sure upon viewing the first trailer that Nina Forever was going to veer much more sharply into dark humor territory, and although there are a few laughs (largely in part to O’Shaughnessy’s impeccable deliveries) Nina is much more a story about relationships and letting go. The death of any relationship is difficult enough. There is a LOT of forgiving and forgetting in order to move on with enough wisdom and resolution to make the one after if work. So we find the moments of sour and sweet and use those to build a picture of fault, regret, and absolution and ultimately that gives us the power to start a new chapter in life. When a loved one, particularly a romantic partner, is taken from us abruptly its harder to rely on the sourness of a love gone bad to get us through the pain and remorse of a failed relationship. Nina Forever is a detailed analysis of loss and love wrapped in the guise of a horror movie and in all honesty, its a beautiful thing.
Being a rabid horror fan its often easy to dismiss a film that while it might be marketed as horror, ends up being largely something else. By the time you realize just how much emotional depth Nina Forever has you are well on your journey with its characters and the average horror gan is easily lulled into a concept that normally would be a tough sell. It is the characters that that drive this picture; characters that are practically exploding from within as they are crippled under their own catharsis. These characters that the Blaine brothers have written for us are reflections of each of us, representing hopefulness, yet still showing us the often defeating human weight of balancing ideals with reality. You honestly want these characters to succeed; all of them in fact. Even Nina, who by the end, is just as trapped as those around her who still have pulses. Nina Forever is funny, daring and above all else, a wonderfully successful emotional “horror” film that resonates with its viewer, never under-estimating the audience’s empathy. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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