THINGS HEARD & SEEN is a new Netflix horror film that I was really excited to see. Perhaps a little too much, so it didn't quite meet my standards. I was still optimistic after seeing the trailer for this Netflix addition.

Maybe it's because Amanda Seyfried is in it, and she's always brilliant. Even, though this film is based on a novel, don't expect a direct adaptation if you're familiar with the source material. A lot of the structure and characters have been reused, but a lot has changed as well.

Such a wonderful cast

As already covered in the above introduction, I am always happy when a movie stars Amanda Seyfried. If nothing else, I know she will be good. Even if the movies aren’t always great, she usually makes them worth watching. Most recently, she was awesome in You Should Have Left where she co-starred with Kevin Bacon (who was also great in it).

For Things Heard & Seen, Seyfried stars as Catherine with James Norton (The Nevers) co-starring as her husband, George. For the most part, George is a real douche which is a huge part of the story so it’s not just my opinion. Honestly, James Norton does a great job and he works wonderfully with Amanda Seyfried.

In other key roles, we see Natalia Dyer (Stranger Things), Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul), and the always amazing F. Murray Abraham (Amadeus) and Karen Allen (Starman).

While this movie does have a stellar cast, it’s the eerie vibe and supernatural elements that make up a lot of the runtime. Of course, this also works because the reactions of the actors make it work so well.

Netflix movie Things Heard & Seen ending compared to the book

The ending of Things Heard & Seen on Netflix didn’t really work for me, but I won’t reveal spoilers to explain why. In other words, it’s safe to continue reading this section of our review. For me, the ending was over far too quick for a movie with a two-hour runtime. It felt sudden and rushed in a way I never expected.

Also, this Netflix horror movie is based on the novel “All Things Cease to Appear” by Elizabeth Brundage and as an adaption, it’s a bit of a stretch. To put it mildly. And yes, this also concerns the movie ending but not to the extent that you would expect based on all the other changes.

Basically, when the credits came it felt like an anti-climax. And based on the events in the Things Heard & Seen ending, that’s no small feat. I loved the way things were evolving up to the point of the final scene but then it just felt too light somehow. You’ll see, but just prepare yourself for a “Was that it?!”-moment.

Watch Things Heard & Seen on Netflix

Filmmaker duo Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini have directed and written the screenplay for this Netflix movie as a joint effort. Of course, this is how they always make their movies, so anything else would be strange. And, make no mistake, I do feel that this is a gorgeous movie in terms of visuals and (to a point) characters.

While writing this review I do feel a little torn. There were moments of this movie that I loved. And I definitely enjoyed the performance from the entire cast. My main issue was the ending and – to a lesser degree – the fact that the first hour was relatively tame in terms of horror. It didn’t feel slow, however, so I can’t claim that I was in any way bored.

You should definitely check out this horror movie on Netflix because it’s a visually gorgeous movie that has intriguing characters and fascinating villains. Nobody rolls over and accepts the way things are. Despite this story being set in 1980 when things were quite different than they are now. Some ballsy women (and men) in this movie!

Things Heard & Seen is out on Netflix globally from April 29, 2021.

Details
Directors: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Writers: Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini (screenplay), Elizabeth Brundage (novel “All Things Cease to Appear”)
Stars: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton, Rhea Seehorn, Natalia Dyer, Karen Allen, F. Murray Abraham, Michael O’Keefe, Alex Neustaedter, Jack Gore

Plot
Catherine Clare (Amanda Seyfried) reluctantly trades life in 1980s Manhattan for a remote home in the tiny hamlet of Chosen, New York, after her husband George (James Norton) lands a job teaching art history at a small Hudson Valley college. Even as she does her best to transform the old dairy farm into a place where young daughter Franny will be happy, Catherine increasingly finds herself isolated and alone. She soon comes to sense a sinister darkness lurking both in the walls of the ramshackle property—and in her marriage to George.