The Stranger in our Bed

Writer: Samantha Lee Howe

Director: Giles Anderson

Presenting itself as a stylish psychological thriller, The Stranger in our Bed certainly looks the part. It is on closer acquaintance that we begin to realise there may not be much else on offer.

Adapted from the book by Samantha Lee Howe, The Stranger in Our Bed is a story about deception, desire and murder. Beautiful and wealthy, Charlotte Carlisle (played by Emily Berrington) is having an affair. She lives with husband Tom (Ben Lloyd-Hughes) in a gorgeous house in London. They appear to have it all. But Charlotte plans to run away with her lover, Ewan (Bart Edwards). She packs her bags and waits for him. When he doesn’t arrive, and she returns home, humiliated, she learns that Ewan isn’t quite what he seems. What begins as a search for truth, leads Charlotte to uncover far more than an incident of Catfishing.

The claustrophobia of Charlotte’s world is articulated through excellent cinematography from Richard Swingle. The dark, smoky colours of inner London and the ivy-clad environs of the Carlisle country home interpret Samantha Lee Howe’s novel clearly and succinctly. Swingle has obviously received the note from director Giles Anderson that Stranger should have a Hitchcockian feel. There is a sense of dread in the grimy backstreets Charlotte finds herself in, and an unspoken menace in the impenetrable frontage of Tom’s family home, the Manor House.

Having met at university, there is a significant class distinction between Tom and Charlotte, reiterated by Isadora Carlisle’s disdain for her daughter-in-law (a choice cameo from Samantha Bond). The time spent looking at their marriage is fascinating, with alliances and secrets emerging. There is an ambivalence that feels very European in flavour, but as the narrative changes tack, this more sophisticated element gets lost in the mix, and we are left with standard thriller fare.

Despite a promising start, this is a film with real third act problems. Having drawn us into the moneyed world of the Carlisles, the denouement is not given enough time to play out. Thrillers are all about the motives, and it helps if we are able to understand the psychological root of these motives. The rush to a conclusion means the narrative loose ends are resolved, but unsatisfactorily. The audience is left with the ‘how’, but the ‘why’ remains elusive.

The Stranger in Our Bed has all the hallmarks of a quality thriller, but beneath the glossy exterior, key factors such as characterisation have been neglected. Apart from Isadora Carlisle, where Samantha Bond’s experience of making supporting characters shine is in evidence, other characters feel flimsy by comparison.

While the basic narrative zips along, there is a missed opportunity to say something more profound about dysfunctional relationships and that’s at every level in this film. Husband-Wife, Son-Mother, even Employer-Employee. There’s a lack of investment in these characters, and that’s why the film only works on a very superficial level. The Hitchcockian vibes reached for are never quite mastered. Ultimately, it looks good, but you’d think twice before getting involved.

Signature Entertainment presentsThe Stranger in our Bedon Digital Platforms 5th September.