Review: She Dies Tomorrow

Kate Lyn Sheil in SHE DIES TOMORROW. Image courtesy of NEON.

By Michelle Halloween

Amy (Sheil) knows she is going to die tomorrow. She can’t explain how or why but, she is going to die after this particular night. From the moment viewers are introduced to Amy, it’s very obvious she is in despair. She is crying and speaking of how she is grateful for the time she has had. Amy reaches out to her friend Jane (Adams) who seems uninterested in Amy’s plight. She has her own anxieties having to do with her brother Jason (Messina) and his wife Susan (Aselton) and the salad she doesn’t feel like bringing to Susan’s Birthday Party. Jane has a change of heart and visits Amy after blowing off the party. Upon arriving at Amy’s home, much to her annoyance, Jane discovers that Amy has been drinking and it is revealed that Amy is a recovering alcoholic. Jane seems to be Amy’s voice of reason but, it only seems that way. Jane impatiently listens to Amy’s revelation and dismisses Amy’s claim of impending death as simply, a drunken tirade. Jane goes home and that’s when things get very interesting. 

Michelle Rodriguez in SHE DIES TOMORROW. Image courtesy of NEON.

  Jane is suddenly afflicted with a change of energy accompanied with flickering lights. You can tell from the change in her eyes that she now understands Amy’s revelation. Even more interesting is that Jane believes she, too, is going to die tomorrow. It’s as if the Grim Reaper himself is playing a game of tag and whoever shares their date with oblivion is now facing the same epiphany.

Tunde Adebimpe in SHE DIES TOMORROW. Image courtesy of NEON.

  SHE DIES TOMORROW is a hypnotic, psychological horror that gives a glimpse of how mental illness, alcoholism and loss make the perfect potion of delusion. The characters descend into different versions of their seemingly dying selves. Complete with colorful visuals the film is entrancing and, at times, too uncomfortable to bear. The subtle hints of misapprehension are found throughout the film. You just have to pay attention to the truths that are revealed. The conversations between the characters will humor many creatives and those who push through their own vices. The film is an overnight journey for Amy. A journey that viewers can resonate with. The anxiety and fear of the unknown are what makes SHE DIES TOMORROW thrilling. There are stories for each character and at times it seems they all blend together. The cameos by Michelle Rodriguez and Olivia Taylor Dudley give some relief to the anxiety and frustration from the previous scene.  Their dark humor then only adds to the confusion and frustration SHE DIES TOMORROW gracefully offers. While the film is a journey, do not expect the film to offer totality. 

Jane Adams & Josh Lucas in SHE DIES TOMORROW. Image courtesy of NEON.

  Whatever you find yourself thinking you have figured out about SHE DIES TOMORROW, I can safely say, you don’t. The film puts the last moments of life on display and some of the moments of life are open-ended. In fact, quite a few different lives. This film is a horror fanatic's favorite kind of conversation starter, just based off of the main plot alone. But, when Amy and the others final wishes and decisions are made transparent many viewers will be a loss for words to describe the outcomes. Truly, a mind-bending film, SHE DIES TOMORROW will have you wondering about your own moment of death. After all, we all are going to die. It could happen tomorrow.

Kate Lyn Sheil in SHE DIES TOMORROW. Image courtesy of NEON.