Vivarium - A Movie Review

We’ve been driving for hours and we still end up at the same house.

Vivarium is a 2019 film. Looking for a house in a nice neighborhood, Gemma and Tom follow a strange realtor into a neighborhood. Attempting to leave, they’re trapped in an endless line of houses in the same neighborhood. If they want to be free, they must raise a child.

If you want to talk about creepy films, let’s talk about Vivarium. I had to watch a funny movie right after viewing this film. That’s how disturbing it was. We have seen films where characters are trapped in an endless loop or in an environment. Despite the disturbing atmosphere, I liked the film’s message about staying positive.

Vivarium tests the acting skills of both Jessie Eisenberg and Imogen Poots. I never thought I’d see these two actors together in a film. They had great chemistry.

I have never seen Eisenberg in a role like this. It’s good to see him cast out of his usual typecast role. Over time, I have become a fan of Poots. From roles I have seen her in, Poots is a visceral actress challenging herself to anything. In one scene, Poots expresses heartbreaking painful sadness that broke my heart.

The connection between Gemma and Tom is what Vivarium is all about. Obviously not knowing what circumstances they were going to get trapped in, their endless support is a great example. They’re mad at each other and drained, but they don’t let it get in the way of their relationship which is important to them.

Vivarium has the creepiest child I have ever seen in a film. Senan Jennings plays The Boy so unnaturally. The very first time he spoke, I backed into the couch, feeling my spine shiver. It was a clever idea that he is imitating their voices. This kid is unsettling and annoying. Plus, the way he looks at you is downright terrifying.

Once the characters arrive in the neighborhood, that’s really it from there. Not a lot happens. It could have been a thirty-minute film instead of prolonging the story. It’s very slow.

It gets repetitive. We get that they’re trying to escape. There’s no need to include several scenes with Gemma and Tom traveling through each yard just to find that they’re unsuccessful.

Lorean Finnegan did a good job with Vivarium’s disturbing nature. The neighborhood is unsettling. All the houses are the same, stretching on for eternity. Cinematography is an important factor in a film like this. Climbing up to the rooftop to see if there’s any sign of freedom, it’s just an endless row of houses.

What I’d really like to talk about is the relationship between the main characters. One of my favorite scenes in the film is when Gemma and Tom dance in the driveway. Having already gone through endless nightmares and continuous fights, it’s nice to know that they still find moments of happiness. I have gone back to watch this scene on Youtube. It makes me smile.

I don’t know if I have seen a message like this in a horror/thriller film, but that was my main takeaway from Vivarium. Always stay positive in precarious situations.

Be warned, Vivarium ends on a downer. I felt drained just like the characters whose effort is never met with success. It is a well-made film but it was not satisfying. With the ending, Vivarium felt like a waste to sit through.

I’m not sure if I would recommend Vivarium, but if you’d like to take a watch it’s on Amazon Prime.