The Rule of Jenny Pen – Solid Psychological Horror (Early Review)

The feeling of being trapped in a potentially dangerous situation is one that strikes a chord with all audiences and one that the horror genre has often leaned on to deliver scares. Resonating on a more psychological level, that unease, and general creepy vibes, can be a hard thing to shake off as films get under the skin of audiences in just the right way. The best films nail that level of immersion, using atmosphere to bring that psychological horror to life. However, that is only part of the equation as the right actors are also needed to execute that vision. Films don’t need to be big and flashy in order to be effective. While not without its flaws, The Rule of Jenny Pen is yet the latest example of this. Based on the short story of the same name by Owen Marshall, this psychological horror/thriller is simple but still offers enough to keep audiences on the edge of their seats and waiting for what may happen next. Opting for that psychological approach, rather than through brutal violence, the film delivers a welcome change of pace, even though some may find it to be on the slow side. Putting Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow front and center, they prove that they have plenty left in the tank as their dynamic lifts the film to heights it would not have seen otherwise.

The Rule of Jenny centers around Stefan Mortensen (Rush), an arrogant judge whose near-fatal stroke left him partially paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair while recuperating at a secluded rest home. Suffering with adjusting to his new circumstances, those struggles made him difficult for the staff to work with and his personality rubbed the other residents the wrong way. That being said, adding to his troubles was Dave Crealy (Lithgow), another resident whose seemingly gentle demeanour was merely a disguise hiding his true nature. Unbeknownst to the staff, he secretly terrorized the residents of the home while wielding a dementia doll whom he named ‘Jenny Pen,’ using it as an instrument for a sadistic game which he called ‘The Rule of Jenny Pen.’ Making such a fuss about his treatment and how his concerns fell on deaf ears, Stefan earned little sympathy from the rest home staff were quick to dismiss his concerns about Dave as he became the target of his many antics. A new arrival, little did Stefan know the history of Dave and his widely-known antics involving his doll and his game.

Over the course of the film, as Dave’s attempts to break the judge failed, those failures only egged him on to go even further with him, essentially becoming a bully of sorts. Meanwhile, Stefan’s roommate Tony Garfield (Henare) could do nothing more than take Dave’s abuse, scared into submission. Resigned to his fate, if Stefan was ever going to stop Dave, he would have to do it himself. In spite of his worsening condition, combatting his own limitations, as well as the staff and the ever-lurking Dave, his persistence was compelling to watch. Perhaps not the most likeable of characters at the start, his new circumstances afforded him the gift of perspective and humility, no longer looking down on others from the judge’s chair. Given a decent redemption arc, the same could not be said for Dave. Keeping an aura of mystery about him, some interesting ideas are left on the table, leaving him on the thin side, only defined by his particular psychopathy. Had the film been more of an even matchup, it surely would have fared much better if audiences had a better understanding of the kind of evil at play here. On the other hand, the balance of knowing too much and not knowing enough is a fine one and the unpredictable nature of Dave does create some tension.

In the end, where The Rule of Jenny Pen lacked on the story side, it made up for on the technical side. Bringing the atmosphere through sound design and a creepy score, it is certainly uncomfortable at times. Not quite the showy horror film that some may have hoped it would be, it overcomes this through a pair of stellar performances from Rush and Lithgow. Not acting much as of late, Rush brings the gravitas he is known for to a role that some audiences may not empathize with as easily, however, he sells Stefan’s arc, feeling trapped due to his condition and surroundings before eventually overcoming that adversity with a new lease on life. Playing such a wildcard of a character, Lithgow’s Dave may rub some audiences the wrong way but underneath that behavior was an absolutely terrifying presence that still felt somewhat restrained. Nevertheless, he definitely made the most of it.

Ultimately, The Rule of Jenny Pen won’t be everyone’s speed but those looking for a simple yet effective psychological horror with stellar performances.

still courtesy of IFC Films and Shudder

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.