THE STORY – After a couple’s baby boy is taken, the desperate mother learns of a way to bring him back. However, her husband begins to suspect that what she returned with isn’t their son.
THE CAST – Jessica Rothe, Charlie Barnett, Yul Vazquez & Bates Wilder
THE TEAM – Caleb Phillips (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 102 Minutes
In his feature debut, writer-director Caleb Phillips secures himself as an audacious new voice in the sci-fi genre with “Imposters,” a film that explores the profound damage two people can inflict upon themselves and the world around them when they refuse to change. It is a twisted play on second chances and the weight of our choices, splitting one couple’s already cracked foundation in two.
The film strikes a foreboding tone from the start, opening in the past at an unspecified time. A woman is trapped behind a chain-locked door; when a child asks if his mom is okay, the father chillingly replies, “That’s not your mom,” before branding his son to ensure he is real. While the setup mirrors the paranoia of films like “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” the intro quickly turns visceral as the mother kills her husband with a shotgun and abandons her son. This sequence builds immediate intrigue: what was wrong with this woman, and how will the past’s residual energy manifest as the present-day characters move onto the same property?
Transitioning to the present, we meet Paul (Charlie Barnett), a former cop who narrowly missed paralysis after being shot. He first appears with a woman, both seemingly happy in love, but a closer look as he puts his wedding band back on reveals the messy truth: he is cheating on his wife, Marie (Jessica Rothe). The couple has recently moved to a safe suburb for their infant son, Theo, in pursuit of the dream of “new home, new baby, new us.” But as Marie insists they can build a great life together, the look on Paul’s face betrays his apprehension. He has a good life, but it’s clear he doesn’t truly want it.
Their attempt at domesticity is interrupted by the disappearance of their son, following a mysterious, earthquake-like tremor. This quake signals something nefarious, and the subsequent investigation highlights the fractured nature of their marriage. Rothe is compelling as a mother distraught. In a poignant scene with Chief Reid (Yul Vazquez), she stares off into the distance, her eyes bloodshot with tears, while Paul retreats into “cop mode.” Marie looks at Paul with a quiet hatred, blaming him for leaving the baby alone.
This friction highlights a fractured relationship, but the film doesn’t offer much insight into how they used to be, which could have added more depth and emotional weight to the story. Same with some of its structural choices, like the film’s use of a silent montage to depict the search for Theo, which hinders the emotional pull. The tension between the couple peaks when Paul attempts to return to work. Marie needs him more than ever, but Paul’s choice to leave suggests a character who is purposefully unlikable, making his eventual arc difficult to follow even as we are forced into his shoes.
The narrative shifts into high gear when a strange neighbor with a connection to the property, Orson (Bates Wilder), provides a map to a cave that can “give back things you have lost.” Despite the potential for madness, Marie’s desperation takes over. She goes to the cave and emerges with Theo in her arms, but insists she has no memory of what she saw inside. This is a brilliant vehicle for Rothe, who moves beyond the comedy of “Happy Death Day” to handle more nuanced, heavier material. As she begins setting bear traps in the woods and acts terrified, as if something is coming after her, she becomes an unpredictable force. You can’t tell if she is delusional or if she is rightfully wary of something, and her performance makes the audience feel Paul’s growing anxiety and suspicion.
While not revealing too much, the film eventually provides insane answers to its mystery, using a plot device that has been used uncreatively in the past with big, IP blockbuster fare. The film uses this device with genuine creativity to drive character change. It is a twisted exploration of the “what if” scenarios of life: would things be better if I were different or if my spouse had made a different choice?
Ultimately, “Imposters” suggests a more haunting conclusion: that even in another life, we might end up in the same place. While the film’s messaging isn’t always perfectly nailed down, it remains a powerful exploration of the terrifying fact that we are the architects of our own reality. It is a strong debut that proves Jessica Rothe should be in more things, anchoring a film that is gripping and unsettling.
