[FilmReview]TheNest(2020)7.4/10

Structuring,atfirstglance,likeahorrorfare,partiallycourtesytoitsslightlyunsettling,lamentingscore,THENESTnarratesthestoryofatypicalmiddle-classAmericannuclearfamily,theO’Haras,emboweredinsuburbancontentmentduringtheReaganera.Thenoneday,RoryO’Hara(Law),atradesmanhailedfromtheGreatBritain,proposestohiswifeAllison(Coon)thattheymighttransplanttoLondon,ashereceivesamunificentofferfromhispreviousemployeeArthurDavis(Culkin)toworkthere.Allisontakesthecushyofferwithapinchofsalt,asthefamilyhasalreadybeenrelocatedseveraltimes,butRorydoesn’treallyaskforherpermission,butcompliance.Oncethere,heimmediatelylavishesthefamilywithluxury,rentingacapaciousmansioninSurrey,buildingapaddockandbuyinganewhorseforAllison(becausesheisacowgirlbornandraised),enrollingtheirtwochildren,Samantha(Roche)andBenjamin(Shotwell),inexpensiveprivateschools.Butsoonacrackappearsontheirostensibleeasystreet,butitisnotasweareleadtoexpect,no,itisnotahauntingmansionscare-fest,buttheshatteringdistressitrevealsisnolessemphatic.ThesecondfeaturefromthemakerofMARTHAMARCYMAYMARLENE(2011),Durkin’slong-in-gestationmaritaldramahingesontwosterlingperformancesbyLawandCoon.ForLaw,hisRoryisanoverachieverwhoseself-efficacyismonomaniacallybuiltuponchasinganopulentlifetocompensateafoulchildhood(AnneReidstunsinthecameoasRory’sdistant,bitterandaccusatorymother).AfterhisAmericandreamfailstomaterialize(orheisnotpatientenoughtosowtheseeds),Roryiseagertogetonboardanypossibilitytofast-trackthisultimategoal,whichblindshisinsightandjudgment,therefore,hemustbetakendownapegortwointhecutting-throatcorporalworld,andhisdownfallisinevitable,andspectacularly,LawshowsoffRory’singrainedfanfaronade,butalsounderpinshismiffedhumiliationwhenfateshutsitsdoorrightinfrontofhisface.However,thepillarofstrengthactuallyfallsonCoon’sAllison,whoseill-adaptationofthetransatlantictransporttakesatraumaticturnwhenherequinefriendabruptlyperishes,whichcoincideswith(ormoreaccurately,aggravates)heralreadyunravelingmarriage(shecannolongerstomachRory’sbraggadocioanymore),andwhataddsinsulttoinjuryisthemountingstrainbetweenherandarebelliousSamantha(Durkin’sunderstatedrevelationthatSamisfromAllison’spreviousmarriagetakesitsownsweettimetoappriseviewers).CoondeliversAllison’smultifariousemotionalplanesoffrustration,displacementandresentmenttoafare-thee-well,yet,sheisalsoanaccompliceinthefamily’splight,Allisonmustbewellawareofwhatamanshemarriessincetheirmarriagehaslastoveradecade.AndCoonperspicaciouslytelegraphsthat,onsomelevel,Allison’ssimmeringangstisalsoinwardtowardsherself,italwaystakestwototango,therefore,thedownbeatending,aftereveryoneexperiencesadisillusioned/disturbednight(includingSamanthaandBenjamin),ascertainsthatnoeasysolutionisathand,youcanblameitonthecavernous,creep“nest”,butthecursewillfollowthisill-matchedcoupleandtheiroffspringwhenevertheygo.Inshort,THENESTisaadirgeforayuppie’sdreamgoessouth,andDurkinshouldgetsomeplauditsforelicitingtwohigh-octaneperformancesandconcretizingaquaintlysubdue,gorgeouslyenticing‘80smilieu,tosaytheveryleast.referentialentries:Durkin’sMARTHAMARCYMAYMARLENE(2011,6.4/10);NoahBaumbach’sMARRIAGESTORY(2019,7.8/10);SamMendes’REVOLUTIONARYROAD(2008,8.2/10).