Locked In Review: Lost in Shallow Waters

A vintage erotic thriller akin to V.C. Andrews meets Skinemax, Locked In on Netflix prioritizes filthy entertainment value. With background in both of these fields, Locked In nearly satisfies every prerequisite. Going straight to streaming could make it even more alluring. It has all the enigmatic, carelessly placed explicit sexual moments, a heaping serving of incest, femme fatales, and a dash of murder for good measure. Ready for a nationwide release, Locked In is a year-end treat for all wine-loving gals.

Locked In Review

Locked In takes us straight into the aftermath of a brutal attack, jumping about in time. Five weeks earlier, before any questions can be asked by the audience, Katherine (Famke Janssen, Nip/Tuck, The Faculty) comes out of a three day coma, her visions of chaotic trauma and rainy nights plaguing her. Though they are unsure about Katherine's chances of recovery, a kind neuroclinical nurse (Anna Friel) pledges to work with her and her adoptive daughter Lina (Rose Williams) to assist Katherine get out of this "locked in syndrome." How did Katherine become like this? Locked In then flashes back a third time, this time thirteen years ago, as if that weren't enough. Still unclear?

After her mother passes away, Lina moves in with her wealthy and well known aunt Katherine, who serves as her new guardian in the stately Rowling Manor. Lina and Katherine have a strange connection, primarily because Katherine keeps a frigid and self centered distance between them. Jamie, Katherine's blonde son, must be misbehaving and "milking" his seizures at the perfect moment to inflict the greatest pain on her. Although it seems impossible that a small child could be that manipulative, this is not the first time this theory has been raised. Jamie and the young Lina connect, and Lina makes a commitment that they will now have each other.

Jamie and Lina's brief friendship serves as a cause for yet another temporal change, this one noticeably much more dramatic than the previous. The story by Rowan Joffe jumps from thirteen years in the past to just three, on the day of Lina and Jamie's (Finn Cole, Animal Kingdom, Peaky Blinders) much older wedding. Now that we only hear about Lina through voiceover, Katherine sees her as a "treacherous gold digger." Jamie seemed to be more preoccupied with his mother's thoughts than with his wedding itself. The foundation of this relationship is illogical, and when Lina suggests that Jamie takes use of his illness to achieve his goals, the viewer's doubts become even more apparent. 

The family's general practitioner, Dr. Robert Lawrence (Alex Hassell, The Boys, The Tragedy of Macbeth), is the last significant figure. Jamie receives therapy from Robert to help him get through difficult times. He starts to win Lina over, and they start having a sensual relationship in public. The film alternates between Lina's attempts to tend to a bruised, scarred, and beaten Katherine in the present timeline, Katherine's tumultuous relationship with Jamie, and their blossoming romance.

When the focus is on Lina and Katherine's abrasive conversations or on the love triangle, Locked In is at its best. Janssen, who was excellent in a similar role in the Ryan Murphy sandbox previously, is still the standout performance. Though visually striking, is it realistic to have sex against stained glass walls? It appears that director Nour Wazzi doesn't give a damn because Rowling Manor's extravagance and these characters' wealth speak for themselves. 

Locked In Cast

Character	Actor
Alex	Adèle Exarchopoulos
Carole	Mélanie Laurent
Sam	Manon Bresch
Marraine/Godmother	Isabelle Adjani
Clarence	Félix Moati
Abner	Philippe Katerine

Locked In Rating, Reviews and Director

Director: Carlos V. Gutierrez 

Writers: Carlos V. Gutierrez

Running Time: 1h 30m

IMDb Rating: 4.2/10

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 58% Tomatometer

 

Suggested Read: What Happens Later Review: Explores Love Beyond Departures