When a churchgoing 16 year-old is accused of murdering her newborn baby, who better to determine what really happened than a pregnant forensic psychologist, still haunted by a stillbirth the previous spring?
An odd decision for the prosecution, but it’s a very natural one to come out of the Sundance Writers And Filmmakers Lab, where Hilary Brougher’s psychological mystery was developed. These parallels are the perfect device with which to explore the terror of motherhood, failing relationships and the gender and age gaps.
Even less surprising is the casting of festival favourite Tilda Swinton as the older woman, with a breakout role going to Amber Tamblyn.
This extended character study is thought-provoking, muted and mesmerising.