There's a fine line between thrilling and just plain uncomfortable, and "Vivarium" basically plays jump rope with that line. The film takes the innate desire of the restless soul to escape the humdrum suburban life and multiplies the intensity until you feel like you're getting cabin fever just watching it.
As for the plot, young lovers Tom and Gemma are searching for a home, but when they visit a cookie-cutter neighborhood, they suddenly find themselves unable to escape. Things get even creepier when a "kid" shows up on their doorstep, with instructions that if they care for the boy, they'll be released. Watching a couple find themselves trapped in an infinite subdivision of identical houses and forced to raise a humanoid monster as their child ... well, it's not for everyone, but that's part of the unique thrill that both impressed and alienated critics and audiences.
- Starring: Imogen Poots, Jesse Eisenberg, Jonathan Aris
- Director: Lorcan Finnegan
- Year: 2020
- Runtime: 98 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%
