'Fever Dream' review: Netflix's latest thriller delivers jolts
Spooky season is upon us and Netflix is making the most of it with its latest Spanish thriller, Fever Dream. The soon-to-be cult classic, directed by Claudia Llosa, is an adaptation of the best-selling psychological fiction novel by Argentinian author Samantha Schweblin.
The film revolves around Amanda (María Valverde), who is in a clinic and struggles to remember how she got there. The story unfolds with Amanda deciding to take her daughter Nina (Guillermina Sorribes Liotta) on a short trip to a small town. She quickly befriends a neighbor, Carola (Dolores Fonzi), who has a son. However, due to an incident, Carola doesn’t recognize her son.
The official synopsis for Fever Dream reads:
"A woman named Amanda lies stricken, far from home. A young boy named David questions her, trying to make her remember. She’s not his mother, he’s not her son. As her time is running out, he helps her unravel a powerful, haunting story of obsessive jealousy, an invisible danger, and the power of a mother’s love for her child."
'Fever Dream' is a must-watch during Halloween
Fever Dream is that one thriller that is true to its title from the very first scene. The film feels like a cold shiver, faintly hysterical, and has the most effecting scenes highlighting maternal panic to an extreme. It is a mix of alluring and repulsion, where the story unfolds to make one sweat. The plot is not an easy puzzle to solve, even if the clues are easily noticeable.
The film’s narrative momentum grips viewers like a head cold, as if not allowing you to leave your senses, but only using them to instill a brief discomfort. Fever Dream's plot highlights how parents always look at their children through a nostalgic rose-tinted lens, even though that's not who they are anymore.
Fever Dream is a haunting film that will make viewers question what is real. It delivers the best on maternal love. The film is R-rated and is streaming globally.
This article reflects the opinions of the writer.
Quick Links
Srijan Sen