We soon find out why Mindy wants Alice out of the way for a spell as early on in the 1 hour 45 minute runtime, we are introduced to Agyar, the 'monster' in the cellar, who rings a dinner bell when he is 'hungry'. Mindy has realised that in order to protect Alice from the monster, she has to comply with its demands by letting it eat her flesh. It prefers arms, but when they get too damaged, it moves to her legs or other areas - but only Little Bites! No spoilers so far, as most of that is pretty clear from the film’s poster!
We are led to wonder if all this is actually in Mindy’s head rather than reality, as we only see the creature when she is around. Mindy’s mum, who is looking after Alice, is on the phone now and again telling Mindy that she’s useless and needs to pull herself together, take Alice back, and behave like a mum. Mindy becomes physically and mentally defeated as the film progresses, until eventually she tries to strike a deal with Agyar.
She goes out and finds an equally lonely man, drugs him and drags him down to the cellar for Agyar to consume instead of her, allowing her to recover. But this man, the creature says, "tastes like despair" so he is no good! Mindy bumps into someone she knows in the supermarket who is concerned enough by Mindy’s appearance to call Child Protection Services. They send round someone to assess the home and meet Alice (who is still away). So, perhaps she’ll do instead, Mindy thinks!
Mindy later bumps into a woman in the park who convinces her that when bringing up children, one has to stand beside them and face life’s challenges together - she can’t hide Alice forever, Mindy muses. Mindy calls her mother, who brings Alice back. Her mother is also a strange-looking person, incidentally, adding to the tease and mystery of the characters. When Alice arrives and Mindy shows her the cellar, there isn’t a trace of any 'monster', further convincing the viewer that it is all in Mindy’s head. Which it might be!
We eventually reach the finale, which is quite surprising in many ways. We find out what is real, what is imagined or hallucinated and what exists in people’s minds as a result of trauma and maternal abuse. That’s all you’re getting from me - no more spoilers! You can jolly well work out the deeper meanings for yourself (it’s on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video and others in the UK), originally a Shudder production.
It can be gory at times, but not excessively so. The tension, atmosphere and the expectation of what’s round the corner provide much of the entertainment’s strength. It is very well acted, especially by Krsy Fox, and beautifully shot with interesting cinematography throughout. The set is perfect for the job - a creaky, old-style house with old-fashioned decor and furnishings. It all comes together very nicely - just don't get up too soon, as there are some mid-credits scenes which further tease and explain the plot! Enjoy.
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