Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried make an intriguing couple in the new aggressively titled psychological thriller “You Should Have Left”. Right off the bat you can’t help but notice the significant age difference (Bacon is a spry 61 while Seyfried is 34). It’s something the film is aware of and even has fun with (“You’re her dad?” a security guard sincerely asks Bacon). You may be able to squeeze some commentary out of their relationship, but the movie has other interests.
Bacon plays Theo Conroy, a wealthy ex-banker stained by a tabloid-rich scandal from his past involving the death of his first wife. Theo has steadily maintained his innocence and even the courts agreed with him. Still his high-profile case gained him unwanted notoriety and he hasn’t fared as well in the court of public opinion. As a result Theo battles frequent nightmares as well as bouts with insecurity. He combats those issues by keeping a doctor-prescribed daily journal and quietly meditating to self-help lessons.
Photo Courtesy of Universal Studios
Seyfried plays Theo’s much younger wife Susanna with whom he shares a daughter, 6-year-old Ella (Avery Tiiu Essex). Susanna is a working actress, forever tethered to her cellphone, and seemingly impervious to how some of her choices may affect her husband. Whether it’s constantly giggling and leaving the room when getting texts from a male co-star or having her husband visit the movie set on a day she’s filming a sex scene. Do you chalk it up to the age difference? Is it Theo’s petty jealousy? Or is something else going on?
Realizing they need a getaway, Theo and Susanna rent the proverbial house in the middle of nowhere – a two-story modernist home in very rural Wales. Before the three have time to settle in we begin noticing peculiar things about the house’s design. It only get weirder as lights begin coming on by themselves. Doors appear one night but are gone the next. Spooky Polaroids start popping up. And someone (or something) has scribbled a chilling warning in Theo’s journal. “You should leave – go now” followed by “You should have left.”
Photo Courtesy of Universal Studios
At first it’s hard to watch and not think of “The Shining” just on a smaller scale. Clearly something’s up with the house and the longer the family stays there the more macabre things get. At the same time Theo begins to unravel in ways we’re used to seeing in these types of thrillers. But thankfully writer-director David Koepp gives his movie enough of its own identity to keep it from feeling like a routine genre exercise. He also tosses in some chilling and inspired twists. Unfortunately they run head-first into a clunky final reveal dump that basically takes place over a single phone call.
“You Should Have Left” is never really scary although it does occasionally get under your skin. I does some clever things with the haunted house formula which keep it from feeling tedious or redundant. At the same time you can’t help but notice some things that are undeniably familiar (especially if you’ve seen the recent and much better “Relic”). But the biggest draw is Kevin Bacon and even though this isn’t top quality material, it’s great to see him on screen again and he keeps us invested from start to finish.
VERDICT – 3 STARS
Keith & the Movies 
I don’t like spooky but I do like Mr.Bacon a lot, might have to see this.
This one isn’t that scary at all. And it is worth seeing for Bacon. It was a nice surprise seeing him pop up in a movie again.
Haven’t seen this yet, but heard people saying this would work far better as a drama than a horror film. Thoughts?
Possibly. I think it’s a pretty decent horror-thriller. I just kinda botches the ending. Some of the reveals are pretty cool though, and it’s good seeing Bacon again.
So it’s not a total waste of time. If it’s on TV, I’ll give it a whirl. There’s worse things to watch.
Not at all. It won’t blow you away, but it an easy watch. And there is plenty of Bacon!
Loved Amanda in Scoob as Daphne 💜
Your review is a little more gracious than a couple of others I’ve read so I think this one might have to go back on my list. Kevin Bacon is an awesome actor and might pull this one through.
It’s a very easy watch. Not a bad movie at all. It just could have been better. It is great to see Bacon again.
I have this in my Netflix queue. I feel like the reviews all around have been pretty split so I’m interested in seeing how I fair with it.
Just don’t expect anything great and you’ll be fine. But it is enjoyable and it’s really fun seeing Bacon on screen again. He ups its value and makes you wish he was in more movies.
The description you give of the wife makes her sound 24 instead of 34, lol. This one sounds like a pass, or maybe something to watch if I happen to come across it and have nothing else to do.
That’s a really good point. To be fair Seyfried does give her a little more depth, but some things about her character do scream early twentysomething. LOL
More of a positive spin on this than I was expecting. Glad to read it, I do love me some Kevin Bacon. Not a *huge* Amanda Seyfried fan but she’s been good in some things. (By the way, wanted to let you know that I received your email — very much appreciate your response on that. Sorry I haven’t said anything sooner — we’ve just been through a major power out here so I’m all discombobulated at the moment.)
No worries at all. We had a week-long power outage darling in the year and it was terrible!
Yeah, cell towers were down as well. Couldn’t do anything. On a positive note, started in on Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm. Gonna be a good read. But power is back and hoping to have a more consistent stream of reviews going forward.
Great! It’s amazing how those types of outrages reveal how soft we are! 😂 I was going crazy without internet and air conditioning!
David Koepp, Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried? Hmm, maybe I should check it out.
Considering my father is much older than my mother, I like it when those sort of relationships are acknowledged in film.
It’s a fun enough movie that keeps your attention but doesn’t quite end in a satisfying way. Still worth seeing for Bacon alone.