Film Review: Anything For Jackson

The general conceit behind Anything For Jackson is one that I’m sure many of you haven’t seen before. Opening on a conversation between a seemingly unassuming elderly couple, Audrey (Sheila McCarthy) and Henry (Julian Richings) Walsh, things take a drastic and unexpected turn when the two bring inside a screaming pregnant lady, Becker (Konstantina Mantelos), who they knock out, and proceed to hold hostage in their home. As terrible as Becker’s situation is, the reasoning behind the actions taken by the couple is rooted in something that is very real and something that could put anyone’s emotional bearings to the test.

Audrey and Henry have recently lost their grandson in a car accident. Stricken with grief, and desperate to have him back, the plan they come up with is to do what is basically a reverse exorcism. They plan to take the soul of their grandson, and plant it into Becker’s unborn child. They have a plan in place to ensure they don’t arouse suspicion. The presence of Jackson’s ghost, which Becker sees in the home, appears to be a sign that things are working out exactly as the couple had hoped. However, as the plan and ritual preparations move forward, things don’t quite go right.

The film is written by Keith Cooper, and directed by Justin G. Dyck, whose previous – and surprisingly extensive – filmography consists mostly of Hallmark style movies, many of which are Christmas themed. This is his first foray into horror, and it honestly doesn’t feel like it at all. The film is fairly well made, it’s tense, and it gets really gnarly. However, it’s also a film with a sense of humor, and not in ways that are obvious. It recognizes the ridiculousness of the situation and the fact that there’s this otherwise affable elderly couple at the center of it, but it always keeps the stakes and the horror element real.

It doesn’t take long for the plan to go awry. Henry find himself catching the attention of Detective Bellows (Lanette Ware) when he makes a slip-up answering a question regarding Becker, who was a patient of his. And on top of that, strange things begin happening around the house, mostly with strange specters appearing, scaring the couple as well as Becker. It can be clear at points that the film is working within some limitations, but it combines some solid makeup work and eerie lighting pulls off a lot of effective moments. Plus, the use of Troy James’s contortionist abilities as one of the ghouls is a great addition.

The film throws in some clever twists and turns, taking any and all opportunity to throw some weird, horrific imagery at you and combine it with the subtle humor. It never comes across as unwieldy. It’s impressive how well the tone is balanced here. The grounded performances from the cast is a big reason as to why it all holds together. McCarthy, Richings, and Mantelos are playing things straight, taking the material seriously, even when delivering lines that are meant to be amusing. And smaller players like Josh Cruddas, Yannick Bisson, and Lanette Ware are solid as well.

Usually with horror-comedies, they will often lean harder in one way or the other, and it’s usually on comedy. Anything For Jackson is one of the rare horror-comedies that leans more on horror, but still finds plenty of time to insert a moment or a line that takes the edge off, even if it’s just for a second. It’s a really fun time that plays with your expectations, especially if you’re aware of all the genre tropes, and that’s all while it keeps a strong hold on the emotional underpinning that informs the actions of the characters, giving it a greater weight that makes for a bigger impression. It’s one that really caught me by surprise, and it’s one that I hope genre fans give a look because it’s a real treat.

Anything For Jackson will premiere on Shudder on December 3rd.