Canadian genre films have long established their place in the cinematic landscape. A playground for creativity and social commentary, they have had quite a resurgence recently with films such as Red Rooms, Night Raiders, Infinity Pool, and Seeds. We are finally seeing more Black Canadian filmmakers diving into these exciting waters as well. This year alone saw the release of R.T. Thorne’s electric action thriller 40 Acres, and now Oscar-nominated filmmaker Hubert Davis enters the fray with his film The Well.
Tapping into the environmental anxieties of today, both Davis and Thorne’s films showcase worlds on the brink. 40 Acres presents a society where the livestock has been decimated and farmland has become the most coveted asset. In The Well, lack of access to safe water—the most important asset to human life—is mankind’s biggest threat.
While both films may swim in post-apocalyptic waters, the two films could not be more different.
Davis’ tale centres around Sarah Devine (Shailyn Pierre-Dixon), who lives with her parents Elisha (Joanne Boland) and Paul (Arnold Pinnock), in an isolated home in the woods. While most of the world’s water supply has been infected with a deadly virus, one that causes spots to appear on the body prior to death, her family’s secret well provides them with clean drinking water. Working hard to keep their land safe, the emotional walls they’ve built to keep the outside world at bay begin to crumble when a mysterious person, Jamie (Idrissa Sanogo), gets caught in one of their security traps.
Claiming to be Paul’s nephew, whom they long thought was dead, the family are forced to decide whether they should break their strict rules about outsiders and let the wounded young man into their fold. As if carrying a bad omen with him, Jamie’s presence not only impacts the family’s sense of trust, but also their water supply. Shortly after Jamie’s arrival, the family discovers that the purifying filter at the bottom of their well is cracked, and they only have a few days to find the required part before the water becomes contaminated.
Although her parents are too blinded by their distrust to listen to Jamie’s claims that he knows a place that may have the item needed, Sarah takes a leap of faith and sets off, unbeknownst to her folks, with him. Venturing beyond the comfort of her normal surroundings, Sarah quickly gets a crash course in the shifting loyalties that are the cost of survival. A fact that will hit home when the pair wind up at a compound, run with a firm hand by the manipulative Gabriel (Sheila McCarthy), that may have the part Sarah is looking for.
Making the leap from documentary to full-length narrative for the first time, Davis does a solid job of establishing a world where danger potentially lurks around every corner. Bringing his keen visual eye to the piece, some of the film’s strongest moments arrive when he simply lets the camera build a sense of unease. Whether it is the claustrophobic confines of the well or the quiet close-ups of Gabriel’s calculating face, his framing is always fascinating to observe. The strong imagery helps to capture the post-apocalyptic feel of the piece while simultaneously keeping its environmental message at the forefront.
While The Well is a visually strong work, it struggles at times to find its footing from a narrative standpoint. The script by Michael Capellupo and Kathleen Hepburn, the later of whom wrote the screenplays for several wonderful films including Until Branches Bend and The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open, never hits the level of tension one hopes for in a thriller such as this. Part of the problem is there is not enough rafts to keep each of the Devines afloat when they drift apart. Elisha starts off as a stern charactered, hardened by the immense loss in their past, but spends much of the latter portion of the film reflecting on the happier times of the past. While these sequences are meant to remind viewers of the preciousness of now, and why we need to protect nature at all costs, it inadvertently stunts the character’s growth.
Similar to Elisha, Paul feels as if he is stuck in quicksand that he cannot get out of. While Elisha’s internal journey is more emotional, Paul’s feels more spiritual. A man looking for guidance and answers while attempting to get his daughter back. Unfortunately, his arc also feels underdeveloped and somewhat aimless. His quest offers a glimpse of the dangers that lurk in a society that has lost trust in one another, but it is nothing that cannot already be gleamed from Sarah’s own venture into the world outside their home.
Considering how many characters the script is juggling, the focus on each parent’s personal demons takes away precious time from Sarah’s plight in the compound and the sense of danger that swirls around it. The Well is most captivating when it is either physically placing the young woman in peril, like when she first must get the broken filter out of the well, or having her navigate the chess style psychological battle she develops with Gabriel.
Masterfully spinning a web of trust to catch vulnerable flies, Gabriel is easily the most fascinating character in the film. Adding another memorable role to her already legendary shelf, McCarthy is brilliant as the suave leader who uses hope and fear to keep her disciples in line. She makes Gabriel the type of person whose smile can be just as dangerous as her scowl. McCarthy’s work also elevates Pierre-Dixon’s work, which brings a sense of hope and curiosity to the naïve Sarah. Shouldering the bulk of the film, she ensures one is always interested in Sarah’s journey even when she is not on screen.
The strong performances and the world Davis creates make for a film that shows plenty of promise even if it does not reach its full potential. It has plenty to say, but its script struggles to figure out who should be the one to say it. As a result, The Well is a film that never runs dry of ideas, but ultimately leaves you thirsting for something more satisfying.
The Well screened as part of Fantasia Fest 2025.
