THE DISAPPOINTMENTS ROOM (2016)

Summary:

Seeking a fresh start after a personal tragedy, Dana and David Barrow move with their young son, Lucas, into a sprawling, dilapidated 19th-century manor in rural North Carolina. Dana, an architect, hopes to restore the historic Blackwood Manor and, in doing so, rebuild her own shattered psyche following the accidental death of their infant daughter, Sarah. Soon after settling in, Dana discovers a hidden, locked room in the attic – a "disappointments room," historically used to conceal physically or mentally disabled family members from public view. This discovery unravels a dark and tragic history of the house's original inhabitants, the Blackwood family, and their own deformed daughter, Laura.

As Dana delves deeper into the manor's past, she begins to experience terrifying visions and supernatural phenomena, blurring the lines between reality and her own trauma-induced hallucinations. The malevolent spirits of Judge Blackwood and his wife seem determined to re-enact their past atrocities, particularly targeting young Lucas. Dana finds herself in a desperate struggle to protect her family, confront the house's dark secrets, and maintain her fragile grip on sanity, questioning whether the hauntings are real or a manifestation of her own unresolved grief and guilt.

Keywords: The Disappointments Room, 2016, Kate Beckinsale, Mel Raido, Psychological Horror, Thriller, Supernatural, Grief, Trauma, Haunted House.

Plot:

The film opens with Dana and David Barrow, along with their five-year-old son Lucas, arriving at their new home, the sprawling and isolated Blackwood Manor in rural North Carolina. Dana, an architect, is visibly fragile, still grappling with the profound grief and guilt over the accidental death of their infant daughter, Sarah, a year prior. The move is intended as a therapeutic fresh start, a way for Dana to immerse herself in a project – restoring the dilapidated 19th-century estate – and hopefully escape the haunting memories of their previous life. David, a supportive but increasingly concerned husband, tries to be patient with Dana’s emotional instability, which manifests in occasional outbursts and a general air of melancholia.

Almost immediately, Dana feels an unsettling presence in the house. While exploring the attic, she discovers a section of the wall that seems out of place. Prying it open, she uncovers a hidden, locked door. Intrigued and disturbed, she researches the house's history, learning about "disappointments rooms" – secret chambers where wealthy families would hide children born with severe deformities or mental illnesses, keeping them out of sight from society. This revelation deeply disturbs Dana, resonating with her own feelings of inadequacy and grief regarding Sarah. She soon discovers that the room belonged to Laura Blackwood, the deformed daughter of Judge Caleb Blackwood, the original owner of the manor.

As Dana delves deeper into the house's past, her visions become more frequent and vivid. She sees fleeting images of a stern man, a distraught woman, and a young girl, accompanied by chilling whispers and inexplicable sounds. Lucas, too, begins to experience strange occurrences, talking to an unseen "girl" and drawing disturbing pictures. Dana attempts to open the locked room, but finds it sealed shut by an unseen force. She consults local historians and old newspaper archives, piecing together the Blackwood family's tragic story. Judge Blackwood was a prominent but cruel figure, who, after his daughter Laura was born with severe deformities, confined her to the hidden room. Eventually, driven by shame and a desire to preserve his family's reputation, he murdered Laura on her sixteenth birthday, along with his wife, who had grown protective of their daughter. The murders were disguised as a house fire.

Dana’s obsession with the room and the Blackwood tragedy grows, causing a rift with David, who believes her mental state is deteriorating. He attributes her visions to stress, guilt, and the lingering effects of her breakdown after Sarah’s death. He tries to encourage her to focus on the present and their surviving son, but Dana feels compelled to uncover the truth and free Laura’s spirit. She encounters Ben, a local handyman hired to help with renovations, who seems to have some knowledge of the house's dark reputation, though he's reluctant to share details, hinting at a deep-seated local fear of the manor.

The supernatural events escalate. Objects move on their own, lights flicker, and Dana experiences terrifying encounters with the spectral figures of Judge Blackwood, his wife, and Laura. The Judge's spirit, in particular, appears malevolent and possessive, seemingly attempting to re-enact his past atrocities. One night, Dana wakes to find Lucas in distress, claiming the "bad man" is trying to hurt him. She sees the spectral Judge Blackwood standing over Lucas's bed, confirming her fears that her son is now a target. The spirits of the Blackwood family seem to be reliving their final night, with the Judge intent on completing his dark ritual and preventing anyone from entering the disappointments room.

Dana learns that the Blackwoods were murdered on August 15th, and as that date approaches, the haunting intensifies. She believes that the spirits are trapped in a loop, reliving their tragic end, and that by opening the disappointments room, she can somehow break the cycle and free Laura. David, increasingly alarmed by Dana's erratic behavior and what he perceives as a descent into psychosis, suggests she seek professional help, further isolating her. He even considers leaving with Lucas, fearing for their safety and Dana's sanity.

On the night of August 15th, the house descends into chaos. The Blackwood spirits manifest fully, their presence palpable and terrifying. Judge Blackwood's ghost, wielding an axe, stalks the corridors, recreating the night of the murders. Dana, armed with the knowledge of the past, confronts him. She realizes that the Judge is trying to kill Lucas, just as he killed Laura, to maintain the secret of the disappointments room and prevent anyone from interfering with his twisted legacy. In a desperate struggle, Dana fights off the spectral Judge, trying to protect Lucas. She manages to break through the final barrier to the disappointments room, revealing a small, stark chamber, eerily preserved.

Inside the room, Dana finds remnants of Laura’s life – a doll, drawings, and a small, faded dress. She realizes that Laura's spirit is not malevolent but trapped, a victim of her father's cruelty. The climax sees Dana in a terrifying confrontation with the Judge's spirit, who tries to prevent her from leaving the room with Lucas. David arrives, witnessing some of the supernatural phenomena, or at least Dana's violent reactions to them, which momentarily shakes his skepticism. Dana, channeling her grief and rage, manages to push back against the Judge's oppressive presence, screaming at him to leave her family alone. The Blackwood spirits seem to recede, their cycle momentarily broken.

The film ends ambiguously. The family remains in the house, but the disappointments room is now open, its secrets exposed. Dana, though seemingly calmer, still carries the weight of her past trauma. As she looks into the now-exposed room, a faint flicker of light or shadow suggests that the spirits may not be entirely gone, or perhaps, that Dana's own psychological battle is far from over. The question remains whether Dana truly battled malevolent spirits or if her profound grief and guilt over Sarah’s death manifested into a terrifying, elaborate delusion, with the house serving as a catalyst for her breakdown. The film leaves the audience to ponder the true nature of the horror: supernatural or psychological.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Kate Beckinsale as Dana Barrow
• Mel Raido as David Barrow
• Duncan Joiner as Lucas Barrow
• Lucas Till as Ben
• Gerald McRaney as Judge Caleb Blackwood
• Michaela Conlin as Jules

Crew:

• Director: D.J. Caruso
• Writers: Wentworth Miller, D.J. Caruso
• Producers: Geyer Kosinski, Vincent Newman
• Music: Brian Tyler
• Cinematography: Rogier Stoffers
• Editors: Vince Filippone, Jim Page

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: September 9, 2016 (USA)
• Language: English
• Genre: Psychological Horror, Thriller, Supernatural
• Running Time: 92 minutes
• Accolades: None specified