Presence | TIFF 2024 | Review by: Benjamin Garrett
Although he’s helmed over 30 films, Steven Soderbergh refuses to settle on a comfortable genre or directorial style. Comedy, drama, romance, thriller and even horror - He’s constantly changing things up. While not always successful, it makes him one of the most fascinating filmmakers working today. Presence is a ghost story told from the perspective of the spirit, and for the most part, it’s another successful addition to his diverse catalogue. The film follows Rebecca and Chris Payne (Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan), and their two young adult children Chloe and Tyler (Callina Lang, Eddy Maday), as they settle into a new home. As the title suggests, there is an unknown presence in the house that begins to make itself known through strange occurrences. The entire movie unfolds through the ghost’s point of view, and never once strays from that concept. Capturing the events through the eyes of a ghost gives the film a calm, voyeuristic feeling. It’s a ghost story, but it isn’t a horror film
