“Her name is Grace.” -Madeline
Yes, Grace (2006) is indeed the short film written and directed by Paul Solet that the 2009 feature film of the same name is based on. If you’ve seen the 90-minute version, I’m sure you know the plot. Here’s how I would describe it (since the official synopsis is too spoiler-ish): A young woman, Madeline, who is in her third trimester of pregnancy, and her husband have a very bad car wreck, mainly caused by him driving like an asshole. He is killed and she is able to crawl from the wreck, but sadly the baby does not survive. Madeline makes the difficult decision to carry the deceased baby to term. That’s enough horror for at least two feature-length movies already …but, believe it or not, things are about to go downhill and become far more frightening and disturbing from there.
Cover of DVD release of Grace (The 2009 feature film, based on the short film Grace, 2006)
The best working link for the six-minute short horror film I could find was on Fearnet.com (see below). BUT! Do NOT read the description, don’t look, just start watching, since the description spoils every plot element from start to finish. Repeat (because I hate spoilers and when people just relate the plot from start to finish in a description before you even watch something), unless you’ve seen Grace already (the short film OR the 2009 feature), just hit the play button and go full screen. Oh, and do not watch while eating …or if you’re breast-feeding. Even if you’re not, trust me my fellow horror fan chicks, you’ll be crossing your arms across your chest like I was!
I highly recommend you do NOT watch this film if you’re pregnant unless you never get scared or upset by anything you watch in a movie, ever (though the French horror film À l’intérieur (AKA Inside, 2007) makes Grace look like The Brady Bunch, and I’d never suggest Inside to someone with even a pregnant relative, let alone even begin to explain the plot points to anyone who is pregnant). Grace also doesn’t take an especially low-key approach when it comes to gore, either, so back out now if you’re easily upset, or offended. I’m pretty jaded, but even ol’ Mrs. Horror Boom here winced several times. Intense, brutal, and frightening, Grace could very well sign you up for a nightmare… don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Click here to watch our scariest short horror film of the week, Grace, on Fearnet.com.
Grace stars Liza Weil, Brian Austin Green, and Susan Foley (the feature-length film starred Cabin Fever ‘s leading lady Jordan Ladd as Madeline). Oh, and the end titles just credit baby Grace as played by “herself”. Though it’d be way creepier if they listed a name, now that I think of it.
If you want to go behind the scenes, the below version has a really cool commentary. There’s also a short about the make-up effects used; drop me a line or a comment below if you’d like me to add it to this post.
I don’t know if enjoy! is the right phrase to sign off on Grace with, so I’ll go with George Romero‘s traditional sign-off: stay scared!
Do you know how beautiful you are? -Madeline, to her daughter
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