Marrowbone (film)

Marrowbone (El secreto de Marrowbone) is a 2017 English-language Spanish psychological horror mystery drama film written and directed by Sergio G. Sánchez, and starring George MacKay, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Mia Goth, and Matthew Stagg. The film tells the story of the titular Marrowbone siblings (MacKay, Heaton, Goth, and Stagg), who relocate from England to their mother's ancestral estate in Maine, where they are faced by a sinister presence at home. Marrowbone was screened in the Special Presentations section at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and released in Spain on 27 October 2017 by Universal Pictures.

Plot
In 1968, a woman named Rose Fairbairn brings her four children (Jack, Jane, Billy and Sam) from England to her childhood home, the Marrowbone Residence, in rural Maine. She urges them to leave their past behind and make new memories. She also declares that they will no longer use the surname 'Fairbairn' and they shall now use 'Marrowbone', Rose's maiden name. Things start off well, and they make friends with a local girl named Allie. However, Rose's health worsens and she dies, leaving Jack, the eldest, to care for his siblings. Before dying, Rose makes Jack promise that he and his siblings stay together and instructs him to hide the news of her death until he turns 21 when he can become their legal guardian. The siblings vow to keep that promise and bury their mother on the property. A short time later, the man, from whom the family had run away, shows up on the property.

Six months later, the siblings still live in the house. All the mirrors are hidden or covered to protect them from a "ghost" in the loft, which had apparently been gone for several months. Of all the siblings, only Jack visits the local town to take care of any necessities. He courts Allie, now a library employee, while keeping his past a secret from her. The town lawyer, Tom Porter, is in charge of the Marrowbone estate, and has unrequited affections for Allie.

Tom informs Jack he will come to collect the $200 fee and Rose's signature to finish the paperwork that transfers ownership of the estate to Rose. Desperate for money and panicked that Tom will discover the secret of Rose's death, the siblings devise a plan. Billy retrieves a money box at a secluded spot on the beach containing the "cursed" money of their father. When Tom arrives to close the deal, Jack pretends his mother is too ill to meet with Tom in person. Jack gives the $200 to Tom, and Jane fakes Rose's signature on the papers, concluding the transfer.

After several incidents, the siblings believe the "ghost" is back because they used the money. Billy "returns the money" by climbing on the roof and throwing the box with the rest of the money down the chimney into the attic. Sam sneaks into Rose's old room, where all the mirrors are kept, sees the "ghost" inside a mirror, and is traumatized. At this point, it is revealed that the "ghost" was their murderous father who, after finding them in America and showing up on their property, was bricked up in the attic and left to starve to death. Jane suggests properly burying him, but Jack dismisses the idea.

Across town, Tom attempts to persuade Allie to come to New York with him, where he is set to begin a new job at a big law firm and he wishes to start a life with her. After Allie firmly rejects his advances, he gives her a folder containing information on the Marrowbone family's past. The contents reveal that their father, Simon Fairbairn, was a notorious serial killer who also, it is implied, raped and impregnated his daughter Jane. He was convicted in court, with Jack serving as a key witness, and later broke out of jail. Meanwhile in the house, Jane sees a raccoon being attacked and dragged into the attic and is convinced that Simon is still alive.

Tom is informed his new employer is no longer interested in an employee, but a partner. He is offered a 10% share of the firm for $5,000 which he doesn't have and must come up with in only a few days time or he forfeits the position at the firm. Tom believes that the Marrowbone siblings have £10,000, which was listed as missing from Simon Fairbairn's property, and he blackmails Jack. Billy climbs down the attic to retrieve the box, and discovers that their father is still alive, having survived on rainwater and dead rodents. He barely escapes Simon's assault, but is unable to retrieve the money. Billy confronts Jack about Simon and urges Jack to deal with him together. Their argument is interrupted when Jack faints and has a seizure. Jane decides they must tell Allie the truth. The siblings arrange for Allie to meet up at the secluded spot on the beach where she and the siblings first met, but Allie only finds their diary. While Allie reads through it, Tom arrives at the house, which seems empty. Moving through the house and seeing the bricked up attic entrance, he becomes convinced the money is hidden there and tears down the wall.

The diary reveals that when Simon found the house six months ago, Jack locked his siblings inside the attic to keep them safe. He tried to give the money box back to Simon, who leads Jack to the secluded place on the beach, but was thrown from a cliff and knocked out by his vengeful father. When Jack regained consciousness, he returned to the house, only to realize Simon had entered the attic through the chimney and murdered his siblings. After bricking up the attic, a devastated Jack prepared to commit suicide, but through a combination of his immense grief and the head injury he suffered during the struggle with his father earlier, he imagines that his siblings are still alive. In accordance with his late mothers wishes, Jack begins to "make new memories." He hides all the mirrors in the house to avoid reminding himself that he is alone, and avoids going into the attic for the same reason. His younger siblings eventually become alternate personalities within his own mind.

After learning the truth, Allie goes to the Marrowbone house and finds Jack's different personalities arguing with each other. She tries to snap him out of it, but he drives her away, unwilling to accept the deaths of his siblings. Noticing Tom's belongings, Allie goes up to the attic and finds Jane, Billy and Sam's desiccated corpses, as well as a dying Tom. She confronts a horribly malnourished but still ferocious Simon, while calling out for Jack's alternate personalities for help. Billy cries out to Jack to please let him take care of this. Eventually, Jack lets Billy take over and shoots and kills Simon, ending his threat for good.

Some time later, Allie decides to stay and care for Jack after he is released from a psychiatric hospital after twelve weeks. She disregards the doctors recommendation to make sure Jack takes his medicine, so he will no longer have his younger siblings' personalities dominant within his fractured psyche. She knows that Jack is happier when he believes his little brothers and sister are alive and well. He can still see them playing in the field.

Production
In May 2017, it was announced Sergio G. Sánchez would write and direct the film, with J. A. Bayona executive producing, alongside Belen Atienza producing. In July 2016, Anya Taylor-Joy, Mia Goth, George MacKay and Charlie Heaton joined the cast of the film.

Release
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 11 September 2017. It was released in Spain on 27 October 2017 by Universal Pictures. Marrowbone was also released theatrically in the United Kingdom on 13 July 2018. It was released digitally on 18 November.

Critical reception
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 49% based on 75 reviews, and an average rating of 5.40/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Marrowbone's effective setting and strong cast can't make up for thinly conceived characters and a story short on genuine scares." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 63 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Remake
A South Korean remake under the working title The Secret House was in production.