Erin Doherty and James McAvoy deliver commanding performances in this startling, absorbing film from British writer-director Paul Andrew Williams, whose sustained creative output continues to energise the industry. The work functions as an eerie mystery drama performed by both leads with remarkable intensity and commitment. Echoes of Atom Egoyan or M Night Shyamalan permeate the narrative, and one might detect parallels to Shakespeare's Hamlet, particularly in the psychological tension surrounding paternal figures and hidden intentions.
The setting is a struggling British town, possibly in the London estuary region, where a confectionery factory serves as the primary employer. Mina, portrayed by Doherty, is an intelligent, self-reliant single parent to nine-year-old Jamie (Smylie Bradwell). She works the production line at the factory, respected by her colleagues, and feels no particular loss over Jamie's absent father. Her social life revolves around her sister (Liv Hill) and a close circle of friends, a contentment that appears complete until one evening.
At a boisterous pub quiz—an occasion requiring her to arrange childcare for Jamie—Mina encounters Michael, played by McAvoy, a composed and enigmatic figure stationed at the bar, nursing a soft drink and observing the room with a serene smile. His manner combines easy assurance with a quiet command that proves magnetic. McAvoy's Scottish accent subtly complicates any class assumptions between them. After walking her home and offering carefully calibrated compliments, Michael demonstrates restraint by declining an invitation inside, a gesture that only deepens Mina's intrigue. Her fascination intensifies when she learns he volunteers at a local food bank, though his actual source of income remains unclear.
Mina's sister grows suspicious, noting Michael's refined speech patterns and wondering aloud whether he might be a former teacher or whether his food bank involvement represents court-ordered community service. Mina dismisses these concerns, unwilling to entertain criticism of a man offering her the kind of sustained romantic attention she has long been without. When Michael visits their home, he makes an immediate impression on Jamie, suggesting a video game session and leading the boy upstairs to play Super Mario Kart while Mina remains downstairs, gratified by what she interprets as his paternal warmth.
Director Williams orchestrates the film's escalating emotional landscape with precision, blending dread, fascination, and an unsettling sense that Mina has been drawn into some hidden conspiracy whose true nature Michael reveals only gradually. Michael appears to possess knowledge about Mina's babysitter that Mina herself has not yet grasped. When the narrative's central dramatic events unfold, the tension intensifies considerably. Mina becomes passionate and confused, while Michael adopts the demeanour of someone who has witnessed such situations before—whether as a potential saviour or as something far more sinister remains deliberately ambiguous. The initial suspicion that he seemed too good to be true proves inadequate to the film's actual concerns.
Williams assembles a cast of exceptional calibre to navigate this mystery with intelligence and discipline. His visual approach favours intimate close-ups of his principal actors, as though the drama's concealed truth might be deciphered from facial expressions alone.
Festival premiere and production background
The film achieved its world premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival on 11 September 2026 in the Special Presentations section. Blazing Griffin is producing the film, which has been described as a supernatural thriller. The production represents a collaboration between UK-based production entities, with Bankside Films and Logical overseeing international distribution.
What happens next
A theatrical release across the United Kingdom is scheduled for 2027, according to production information. The film will continue its festival circuit following its Toronto premiere, with additional screenings planned during the festival window in September 2026.
Key Facts
- Erin Doherty and James McAvoy star in this supernatural mystery drama directed by Paul Andrew Williams
- The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 11 September 2026 in the Special Presentations category
- UK theatrical release is anticipated in 2027
- The narrative centres on a single mother's relationship with an enigmatic stranger whose true nature remains deliberately obscured
- Williams employs intimate cinematography and close-ups to suggest hidden depths in his characters
