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Lead Critic for the site, as well as serving as an editor when needed.
Prison films were all the rage in the 1950s through the 1970s. Cool Hand Luke (1967) starring Paul Newman and Escape from Alcatraz (1979) starring Clint Eastwood remain two of the genre’s most known examples. With his psychological horror mystery-thriller via IFC Films and Shudder, co-writer, executive producer, and director James Ashcroft attempts to craft his own prison film, set in a nursing home in New Zealand to weird effect. Prison films are great environments to speak on power dynamics or even war commentary.
Co-written with executive producer Eli Kent, The Rule of Jenny Pen doesn’t really set itself apart from many genre films. The film’s best part is the small dread-filled moments of quick and certain death for an old person. Ashcroft directs the camera movement in convincing enough ways. The frame never truly expands on real dread, though, it’s just the moment itself.
The film is held together by its fantastic leads, John Lithgow (Twilight Zone: The Movie, Raising Cain, Dexter, The Crown, Perry Mason, Conclave) and Geoffrey Rush (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End). Their back and forth exchanges are great for the type of film this is. Yet, that’s about the film’s only draw. Director of photography Matt Henley’s cinematography is another good element next to the performances. Otherwise, The Rule of Jenny Pen is just another example of a weird horror film that could have gone straight to streaming.
IFC Films & Shudder’s The Rule of Jenny Pen Logline
According to IFC Films and Shudder Press, here is the logline for James Ashcroft and Eli Kent’s The Rule of Jenny Pen.
A misanthrophic Judge confined to an aged care home finds himself set in deadly conflict with its resident tyrant.
IFC Films and Shudder Press
Who is the Victim?
The film’s best thematic aspect is the dynamic between Rush and Lithgow’s characters. When Judge Stefan Mortensen (Rush) suffers a stroke, he is confined to a wheelchair and is placed into a nursing home. The home is seemingly ruled by the sadistic Dave Crealy (Liithgow), a dementia patient in the home. Crealy carries around a puppet and communicates almost exclusively through it.
In the film’s first moments in the home, Mortensen watches helplessly as another patient accidentally catches himself on fire, and the film immediately cuts to Mortensen elsewhere. It feels like a surreal place, as if the chaos that goes on inside is seemingly inside his head. This is another good aspect of the film and plays fairly well. However, most of the things that could be surreal are really just extremely odd ways for Crealy to assault other patients in the home. As the film progresses, the viewers see that Crealy effectively deals with his condition in such a manner that benefits the home in the long-term.
The Rule of Jenny Pen is quite an odd film. It’s oddly more funny than scary, which is truly annoying. The film continually seems to question whether Mortensen is truly a victim or not, and questions Crealy’s illness. Some of this should have been left up to the audience’s interpretation. Instead, it is distracting, as we don’t always need all the answers for a truly successful viewing experience.
Technical Details
The IFC Films/ Shudder film has some interesting technical elements on display. Henley and Ashcroft employ the camera in creative enough ways, but that alone doesn’t save the film. The focus is played with throughout as well, but again, the camera is perhaps the only intriguing character of the film.
Several of the film’s narrative beats are annoyingly predictable as well. Eventually, we’re just waiting for Mortensen to fight back against Crealy with the inevitable killing of one or the other. However, Lithgow and Rush remain the film’s true draw. Their dialogue is pretty fun to listen to. The scene of Lithgow kicking Rush under the table is perhaps the most fun to watch. Particularly, it could play like a five-minute short film depicting two old enemies.
Final Thoughts
James Ashcroft’s The Rule of Jenny Pen is a decent enough beginning-of-the-year psychological horror film. However, it will be forgotten amongst the endless streaming of cheap horror flicks soon. There are things to appreciate about the film, which is bound to be enjoyed by many, as are some of the best bad horror films. Put this on in the background of your weekly cleaning routine, and you might take a five-minute break and then remember you’ve something more important going on, but maybe you will laugh at two annoying old men.
2.5/5 stars
The Rule of Jenny Pen premieres in theatres this Friday, March 7th, and will stream via Shudder later this year!
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Lead Critic for the site, as well as serving as an editor when needed.
