Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
By Sara
Set on a rural Georgia farm, The Woman in the Yard explores grief, depression, and maternal responsibility through the story of Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler), a widowed mother raising two children—Tay and Annie—after the death of her husband David (Russell Hornsby). As the family struggles to hold itself together, an eerie figure in black (Okwui Okpokwasili) appears in the yard, slowly closing the emotional—and possibly supernatural—distance between them.
Deadwyler delivers a raw, internal performance as Ramona, who teeters on the edge of despair while attempting to maintain control over a household slipping through her fingers. Peyton Jackson shines as Tay, the eldest child trying to take on adult responsibilities while still needing guidance himself. Estella Kahiha, as Annie, brings heart and depth to a role that could have been reduced to “the cute kid,” adding layers to the family dynamic.
Director Jaume Collet-Serra creates an atmosphere steeped in dread and ambiguity. The farm is less a physical location than a psychological battlefield. Flashbacks and dreamlike sequences blur memory and reality, as Ramona confronts her shadow self and the terrifying implications of her unraveling mind.
Ultimately, The Woman in the Yard is an expressionistic horror story about untreated depression and suicidal ideation. It’s more interested in emotional truth than plot mechanics, which may frustrate audiences expecting conventional scares. Still, its ambition and artistry are undeniable. Though its themes beg for deeper cultural specificity, the film’s psychological core is haunting and heartfelt.
