Movie Review: Fractured - Finding His Family Means Facing the Truth

Fractured (2019) is a psychological thriller directed by Brad Anderson and written by Alan B. McElroy, the film follows a seemingly typical family road trip that quickly devolves into a nightmare. Starring Sam Worthington, Lily Rabe, and Stephen Tobolowsky, the film centers around a man named Ray Monroe, whose life unravels after his wife and daughter disappear in a hospital. The film follows a descent into paranoia, mistrust, and manipulation, set against a backdrop of hospital corridors and eerie isolation.

Source - Filmtop

The film delivers a chilling and at times unsettling experience which makes the viewers challenge the perception of reality.

The film starts with Ray Monroe, his wife Joanne (Lily Rabe), and their young daughter Peri (Lucy Capri) who are on a road trip coming back from Thanksgiving, when a minor accident involving Peri and Ray, leads them to seek medical attention at a remote hospital. After his daughter is admitted for treatment, and his wife takes their daughter for a CT Scan in the basement, they don't come back even after a long time, Ray becomes increasingly anxious when he finds himself separated from them. 

The hospital staff seems unhelpful, and things take a bizarre turn when Ray discovers that his wife and daughter have seemingly vanished without a trace. The more Ray tries to investigate, the more he encounters strange resistance and obstacles, and his own sanity is called into question. The film is about how he pieces together the fragmented events and Ray figuring out whether his family is truly missing or if his perception of reality is distorted by trauma, paranoia, or something more sinister.

From the start, Fractured builds a strong sense of unease. The sterile, almost haunting hospital setting creates a haunting atmosphere and makes the viewers feel that ‘something must be or will be wrong’. Ray’s confusion, and the unreliable nature of his perspective keeps viewers on edge. When Ray’s recollection of events is constantly called into question, the viewers start to question whether his perception is skewed due to psychological trauma or whether something far more sinister is at play. The narrative  shifts from a straightforward mystery to thrilling events and outcomes. The  more Ray searches for answers, the more elusive the truth becomes.

Sam Worthington delivers a solid performance as Ray, a man whose desperation and confusion are palpable. Worthington’s portrayal of a man slowly losing grip on reality is both compelling and haunting. His emotional depth adds to the tension of the narrative, and his gradual unraveling anchors the film's psychological horror. Lily Rabe, though not having a very prominent role as Joanne, provides a strong performance, conveying the calmness and poise that contrasts sharply with Ray’s increasing distress. Rabe’s portrayal of Joanne serves as a counterpoint to Ray’s spiraling instability. 

Stephen Tobolowsky, though limited in his role as Dr. Berthram, brings an air of unsettling professionalism to his character. His presence adds to the mystery and doubt surrounding the hospital and its staff. However, it’s the supporting performances, particularly that of Adeline Rudolph as Peri, that feel underutilized. Though her role is pivotal to the story, her character is more symbolic, which leaves the viewers wanting more depth in the emotional stakes surrounding her disappearance as she is the starting point of all the mystery.

The cinematography effectively reflects Ray’s deteriorating mental state.

The ending, though feels a bit underwhelming, still manages to blow the viewer’s mind away and somewhat gives a mind-bending ending after all the twists and turns the viewers experience throughout the movie. The execution could have been better, but the message about how powerful and equally destructive a human mind can be was delivered clearly.

As the film progresses, the viewers get divided into two teams: one who believes the man who is trying to find his family, and one who believes the man has lost his family.

The film’s chilling exploration of the fragile nature of the human mind and the terror of losing touch with reality leaves viewers questioning what’s real and what’s imagined, making it a fitting choice for fans of mind-bending thrillers.  It’s a reminder that sometimes the scariest thing isn’t what’s lurking in the shadows, but the possibility that we can’t trust our own minds to guide us through the darkness.

However despite a few flaws, the film according to me is a 7/10.

Written By Anoushka Chowdhury

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