The shortest and most mind-bending psychological horror I’ve ever seen is the subject of this article. Lyle (2014), written and directed by Stewart Thorndike, is an hour-long film centering around our inquisitive and protective protagonist, Leah (Gaby Hoffmann). A pregnant Leah, her wife June (Ingrid Jungermann), and their young daughter Lyle move into a beautiful home in Brooklyn. While unpacking, Leah loses track of Lyle for a moment and soon discovers that her baby died mysteriously.
The movie jumps forward seven months, and we learn that Leah struggles with delusional thinking about the cause of Lyle’s death. She believes the neighbor Karen (Rebecca Street) had something to do with it. She uncovers details about her home’s past and eventually begins to believe that satanic sacrifice played a role in her baby’s death.
Lyle is the definition of psychological horror. Because of the incredibly close narrative lens of Storndike’s story, the audience’s psyche is tethered to Leah’s throughout the film. That means that we question reality alongside Leah, giving Lyle a mysterious and suspenseful effect that creates an authentic portrayal of the dark side of grief and delusion.
As Leah uncovers new pieces of evidence that point to malicious intent around Lyle’s death, they don’t seem far-fetched at all. There’s even a neighbor who supports Leah and helps her find more evidence. At least for a little while.
The movie’s pacing is brilliant. Each second is stuffed with suspense. The audience is constantly wondering, “Is this reality or delusion? How did Lyle die? What on earth will happen next? What’s the next twist?” And these feelings only elevate throughout the film. It is unnervingly captivating. The twists are shocking, but they make so much sense once they’re revealed. That is a mark of a terrific thriller.
Every single moment in Lyle has a purpose—there’s no fluff in this film. Even the first five minutes hold clues to Leah’s beliefs about the cause of Lyle’s death. Don’t worry, I won’t spoil it for you. But I will say this: the ending is incredibly disturbing and leaves the audience wondering whether Leah was right about Satan’s involvement in Lyle’s death or if it was all a delusion sparked by her grief and confusion about not knowing why her child died.
Lyle does a fantastic job tackling the realism of grief and delusion. It draws the audience into Leah’s experience. The conclusion she comes to at the end of the film feels almost logical. It reminds us that reality is not quite as tangible as it may seem, and that our perception means everything.
This queer psychological horror gets a rating of 5 out of 5 stars from me for being absolutely mind-bafflingly excellent. I can’t rave enough about this film. Seriously, go watch it right now. Every character is compelling and realistic. Gaby Hoffmann’s performance is exquisite, and her fantastic acting adds the cherry on top of this chocolate fudge sundae of a film.