Lavender

Lavender (2016): Spoiler-Free Review

Lavender is Ed Gass-Donnelly’s 2016 mystery drama about a photographer and a lost memory. It is quiet, moody and eerie.

The Premise

Jane (Abbie Cornish) is a photographer who shoots old, empty farmhouses. After a traumatic accident, she loses much of her memory. She returns to the farm where she grew up, hoping to find out what happened to her family many years ago. The more she remembers, the more she doubts what is real.

Why It Works

• Abbie Cornish gives a controlled, fragile lead performance.
• The old farmhouse and the wide fields make a cold, lonely setting.
• The film plays with memory and trauma in a slow, gentle way.

At a Glance

• Director: Ed Gass-Donnelly
• Writers: Colin Frizzell and Ed Gass-Donnelly
• Cast: Abbie Cornish, Dermot Mulroney, Justin Long, Diego Klattenhoff
• Genre: Mystery drama

Verdict

A moody, uneven mystery that works best as a slow ghost story. It may not please everyone.

• Who should watch: Fans of quiet mysteries and haunted-memory stories.
• Spoilers: none. We never reveal the twist in this review.