Anything for Jackson - Summary and Review

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Anything for Jackson is one of those little gems you come across every now and then and wonder why you hadn’t watched it before. It had been on my radar for a while, but I’d never quite felt compelled to commit. The idea of an elderly couple performing a reverse exorcism didn’t feel like a “must-see”. That said, taking the plunge turned out to be a good decision. This is a surprisingly elegant and well-handled horror from Justin G. Dyck—better known for films with “Christmas” in the title.

An Ancient Satanic Ritual

Henry and Audrey Walsh are an affluent but otherwise unremarkable couple. Henry is the town doctor, Audrey his composed and quietly driven wife. After the loss of their grandson, Jackson, they turn to an ancient satanic ritual in an attempt to bring him back and repair their damaged lives. Early on, Audrey and Henry kidnap a pregnant woman and hold her prisoner in their home in order to perform the ritual and the couple go to great lengths to acquire the knowledge they need, including joining a local satanic cult. Naturally, it all comes at a cost—both financial and personal—and once they start putting it into practice, it becomes clear they’re out of their depth. What follows is a steady unravelling as supernatural havoc begins to invade their carefully ordered lives. With the help of a fellow cult member, Ian, they press on with their plan while trying to avert disaster and achieve their heart's desire,

Extraordinary Events in an Ordinary Setting

One of the most appealing aspects of the film is the way it places these extraordinary events into such an ordinary setting. The Walsh's home is resolutely suburban, and the couple approach what they’re doing with a kind of calm logic, as though it’s a reasonable course of action that anyone would take under the circumstances.

The whole thing is elegant and stylish, balanced neatly between dark humour (snacks at a satanic meeting, anyone?) and bursts of genuinely horrific apparitions that punch holes in the Walsh's otherwise mundane suburban life. The story unfolds at a steady pace, revealing just enough at each turn to keep you hooked, while the tension builds naturally as each new development increases the pressure on the couple and raises the stakes.

What People Will Do for Love

But don't let this description of everyday satanic suburban rituals fool you. Anything for Jackson, is anything but a horror-themed comedy of manners. There are genuine scares with a generous helping of gore, and it introduces one of the most horrific aperitions I've seen in a while, but the core of the horror is what ordinary, quintessentially nice people will do for love, which makes their actions all the more disturbing.

Sheila McCarthy and Julian Richings are excellent in the lead roles, fully convincing as a couple navigating something far beyond their understanding but for which they are willing to risk everything. The supporting cast is also strong, with enough development of their personalitites to drive the narrative. Rory’s overeagerness, Detective Bellows’ steady presence, and Ian’s increasingly unhinged behaviour all add weight to the story.

The ending had a mixed reception and I fall on the side of those who found it unsatisfying - the director said he wanted the audience to be able to make up their own minds - it was a bit of a come-down after the drama of the rest of the narrative but overall, this is a real gem of pure horror entertainment packed into a 97 minute runtime—thoughtful, unsettling, and just a bit different from the norm.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Character & Production Details

Henry Walsh: Julian Richings
Audrey Walsh: Sheila McCarthy
Rory: Konstantina Mantelos
Detective Bellows: Glynis Davies
Ian: Yannick Bisson

Writer: Keith Cooper
Director: Justin G. Dyck
Year of Release: 2020
Runtime: 97 minutes






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