‘7 Keys’ Review - Joy Wilkinson’s Fiery Meet Cute Descends Into A Must-See Psychothriller [SXSW 2024] (2024)

It’s a meet-cute like any other: Lena (Emma McDonald) and Daniel (Billy Postlethwaite) are both stood up at the same dimly-lit London bar. She is a cunning, perhaps devilish single mother who is looking for a fun night out. He is a quiet romantic who is on the apps for the first time. Their connection comes quickly, however unlikely it would have seemed at the onset, but the night takes a naughty turn when Lena learns Daniel still has the keys to every flat he has lived in across the city.

Fueled by a penchant for breaking and entering, Lena suggests Daniel take her to each of his previous homes and let himself relive his glory days. Daniel begrudgingly agrees, kicking off a misguided tour of Central London as well as Lena and Daniel’s troubled histories.

This is what viewers are sold at the onset of 7 Keys, the feature debut of British writer-director Joy Wilkinson and one of the films quietly filed under SXSW’s undersung Visions section. Though it may not begin quite as innocuously as this critic has described – Wilkinson’s stark creative voice is immediately apparent, as is an unsettling air of tension – this critic can assuredly tell you the film belongs amongst its cohort.

Nothing can quite prepare audiences for what lies underneath Wilkinson’s fiery two-hander: a genre-driven descent into full-on horror psychothriller glory underlined by a more subtle, if subsequently less affecting, commentary on the economic disparities of England’s capital city. The film is best experienced with as little spoiled as possible, but let’s just say things are not as they appear to be with our two leads, nor the homes Daniel’s nostalgic keys unlock.

What must be said, however, is the strength of the film’s stars. At the heart of the film is the enrapturing Emma McDonald, an actress whose star quality is immense and immediate. Her portrayal of Lena kickstarts the film with brazen confidence and sharp wit, though this persona naturally breaks down into a vulnerability instigated by traumas. This is not to say she is without a staunch inner strength; fueled by a love for her son and a desire to craft a life for herself against all odds, Lena stands on the shoulders of many great thriller protagonists and is a beautiful turn from McDonald on every level.

Co-star Billy Postlethwaite performed with McDonald as the titular couple in a production of Macbeth in 2019 and you can’t help but feel the same dynamic at play, specifically in regards to his performance. It’s hard to get a read on Postlethwaite at first, as Daniel’s own secrets are walled behind a more shy and stunted veneer. However, Daniel’s metamorphosis is a showcase of Postlethwaite’s immense range; he goes from such interior restraint to, without giving too much away, the opposite of that.

McDonald and Postlethwaite are the anchors around which Wilkinson crafts a distinct look and feel for her story. Despite the film’s dramatic trappings, its tight cinematography and saturated color palette create a strong atmosphere that is intimate to the point of mildly unnerving. It reflects the unpredictability of its characters and similarly lets loose when their gloves come off, bringing in more canted angles and greater detailing in the production design.

Wilkinson and her production team, a surely exhaustive list of people who either scouted the sets or decorated them, have crafted an excellent lineup of apartments for our protagonists to inhabit, each one with its own characteristics and unique place in Daniel’s trajectory. However, the greater achievement may be just how well cinematographer Mary Farbrother finds quality framing and compositions in such tight environments.

7 Keys isn’t a perfect film – its class commentary is sparse by the time it gives in to its more heightened thrills and it overstays its welcome by just a few paces – but you cannot deny that Wilkinson’s explosive introduction into the festival circuit is a rousing win for movie fans and a must-see at this year’s edition of SXSW. Though rough around the edges as a result of its lower budget and street-level London photography, those who seek strong escapism powered by earnest emotion and a love for genre storytelling will be hard-pressed to find a better theater experience, especially with as unassuming a crowd as possible. No matter where your expectations lie, 7 Keys will surely blow them away.

7 Keys had its World Premiere at SXSW 2024 in the Visions section.

Director: Joy Wilkinson

Rated: NR

Runtime: 93m

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