THE SONATA and the Fitting Coda

THE SONATA (2018)

Starring Freya Tingley, Simon Abkarain, Rutger Hauer, James Faulkner, Catherine Schaub-Abkarain. Directed by Andrew Desmond. (88 min)

ON BLU-RAY FROM SCREEN MEDIA

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat😸

I’m sure gonna miss Rutger Hauer. Always a quirky, underappreciated actor, he added a touch of sly malevolence to his characters, even when they were protagonists. Hauer himself hardly appears The Sonata at all, but his presence is felt throughout the film. That’s quite the swan song.

Hauer is definitely the villain here, playing Richard Marlowe, an infamous, reclusive classical composer who completes one last piece before committing suicide by setting himself on fire. He leaves everything – including the prerequisite creepy old mansion – to estranged daughter Rose (Freya Tingley), a respected musician in her own right. She discovers his manuscript locked away in a desk.

Hot blooded. Check it and see.

Interspersed among the notes are mysterious symbols and Rose enlists the help of her agent, Charles (Simon Abkarain), to help figure out what they mean. It turns out Marlowe was engaged in some pretty evil shit while writing his final piece, which he incorporated into the music through these symbols. Charles desperately wants to cash-in on this newly-found sonata, while Rose begins to fear what might happen it’s ever actually performed. However, surprise isn’t one of the movie’s virtues and it doesn’t take a psychic to figure what comes next.

"Where Ducky?"

Though fairly predictable, The Sonata is a wonderfully moody supernatural thriller, establishing its dark tone in the very first scene and maintaining it through atmospheric production design, a haunting score and effective performances. The story methodically builds dread without relying too much on special effects or jump scares (though one particular scene provides quite a jolt). And while not a particularly violent film, what’s implied is often disturbing enough.

As for Hauer, he shares no scenes with the other actors and is heard more than seen. But in those brief moments, he establishes a truly sinister villain, one of many elements that make The Sonata a chilling little winner. Despite an overall lack of originality, the film is a fitting coda to a wonderfully eccentric career.

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