My quick rating – 5.3/10. The Woman in the Yard presents a plot that caught my attention. A mysterious woman (Okwui Okpokwasili) keeps showing up in a family’s front yard, delivering cryptic warnings that toe the line between madness and prophecy. From that setup alone, there’s promise of something eerie and impactful. And while the film flirts with genuine psychological horror and emotional weight, it ultimately feels more like a somber mood piece than a fully realized genre film.
There’s a stylish touch to the way the movie’s shot—shadows are used effectively to create a creeping sense of dread, and some of the imagery lingers in a good way. The ensemble cast does strong work across the board, delivering performances that are subdued but thoughtful, fitting the film’s slower, more introspective tone. Danielle Deadwyler tackles some constant emotional fluctuations as the ordeal goes on and does so fairly convincingly.
But here’s the thing—it’s slow. Really slow. And for a film marketed as horror, there’s a noticeable lack of scares or suspenseful build-up. It leans heavily into psychological drama, with the horror taking a backseat in favor of exploring themes like grief, trauma, and ultimately, suicide. That message is sincere and handled with some grace, but it also weighs the film down, making it more of a downer than an edge-of-your-seat experience.
The movie is saved, in part, by its resolution. The ending doesn’t tie everything up with a neat little bow, but rather leaves viewers questioning what was real and what wasn’t. It’s a clever nod to the uncertainty that often accompanies mental illness, and it’s one of the more thought-provoking aspects of the film.
In the end, The Woman in the Yard is one of those movies where the premise exceeds the final product. It’s got style, some haunting moments, and a strong cast, but its lack of pacing and minimal horror elements may leave some genre fans underwhelmed. It’s a film more likely to be appreciated for what it’s trying to say than for how it says it.
Quick turnaround for this one has Amazon along with the streamers offering home viewing at theater $$$