Set in contemporary Canada, “Edgar Allan Poe’s The Oval Portrait” (2025) revolves around a group of people and their connection to Gora’s House of Antiques, which Ambrose Whitlock (Michael Swatton) owns and occupies as a business and residence. Grayson (Simon Phillips) hires Julian (Paul Thomas) to get someone to steal a portrait from the shop, but the attempts end in disaster because of a spectre (Louisa Capulet). Meanwhile a painter, Ava (Pragya Shail), becomes fascinated with the store and looks for reasons to enter. Poe inspired this movie, which like many of the characters, is romantically in love with the past and emulates the aesthetic and visual style of Seventies movies while wisely reminding viewers that this movie is set in the present. If you too are a fan of that era’s style, see it.
Just a warning to people unfamiliar with Seventies gothic horror films, “Edgar Allan Poe’s The Oval Portrait” may strike you as old fashioned, especially composer Andrew Morgan Smith’s swelling constant soundtrack. It may be a turn off because it is constantly telling the audience what to think, but it is important to distinguish it from films like “Highest 2 Lowest” (2025). It fits the theme of many of the characters and likely writer, director, editor and cinematographer Adrian Langley being in love with the past. Older movies used to have similar scores. It is a slow burn, romantic film billed as a thriller because the point is solving the mystery behind what is going on, not the actual horror aspect. It is just a shame that it is not available on the big screen because the night scenes in the first act did not translate well to a computer screen, and it is otherwise a beautiful film. Langley should not feel bad about that initial hiccup because “Game of Thrones” kept making the same mistake with more money and resources. A tip to all filmmakers: while not ideal, more people will see your film on screens as small as your phone so while shooting, it is important to make sure that the images retain the same quality regardless of size.
The leads are Whitlock and Ava, and I actually was kind of rooting for them to get together. Don’t be me. Swatton nails the acting style of actors in the past playing these kinds of roles. Actors in period films often seem too modern, but his speech, face, movements, physicality and manner all seem as if they are from another time in a good way. Whitlock is an uneasy figure. He accepts the strange events in his shop as if they are routine, and his routine is quite macabre though he causes no harm. He is clearly old fashioned and untroubled at the idea of success or expense. There is a terrific scene between him and a deliverer (Jack Dillabough) which reminds the audience that “Edgar Allan Poe’s The Oval Portrait” is taking place in the present and how unusual Whitlock is.
Langley uses these same reminders with Ava, who does seem as if she is from the present, but clearly romanticizes the past. In her first on screen scene, Ava is the best of both worlds as she handles her annoying boyfriend, Richard (Colby Frost), at the library. It is easy to root for her after that decisive scene even with all her eccentric ways. It is rare for a character to do exactly what some viewers at home are rooting for her to do. She does not own a cell phone or a computer. Her only concession is an answering machine where her mom (not listed in the credits) leaves typical maternal messages of care and concern. As “Edgar Allan Poe’s The Oval Portrait” unfolds, she is losing attachment to her time, but it gives her more time to live in a world. One day, she just happens to pass the store and get curious about it; thus, looks for excuses to get in (reservations and referrals are required for entry) and interact with Ambrose. When the story reaches the point when she needs to conduct research, she uses microfiche! It is details like that and every character using phones with cords that makes the movie more fun.
It is thrilling for Shail to appear as Ava. In the past, these movies would have a woman lead like Jane Seymour, Faye Dunaway, Mia Farrow or Adrenne Barbeau. They’re all great, but it was virtually unheard of a woman of color playing those roles, and there is no reason that one could not be cast in the role. It is great to see an Indian woman in the role, and it actually makes the story behind “Edgar Allan Poe’s The Oval Portrait” more textured in its implications for the broader story. The sensible brunette or potential romantic lead can be an Indian woman, and the genre is better for it. Movies can be in love with the past without losing progress.
Julian is the only one who is alarmed about whatever is going on in that shop. He is dealing with an unreasonable demanding employer and running out of henchmen to do his dirty work. Though playing a bad guy, Thomas still remains sympathetic and takes the tact of a beleaguered, overworked employee. The underworld’s favorite middle manager Julian is kind of fun because he is better than most corporations. When pressed, he discloses to his associate, the Intruder (Brennan Richardson), as much information as possible so he can be prepared for whatever happens. If “Edgar Allan Poe’s The Oval Portrait” has any flaws, it is under developing the employer’s story though it is revealed. Considering the circumstances, it feels as if more should be attributed to them and their generational interest in the portrait. They clearly have no issue with object impermanence.
“Edgar Allan Poe’s The Oval Portrait” takes the original moral of the short story and expands on it to deliver a satisfying ghost story that visually feels like “Ghost Story” (1981), but is far less terrifying because it was not the story’s goal.
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If you are familiar with the short story, Whitlock’s attention to his work, art, had the effect of draining the life from her and into the painting, which is a lesson about how we prioritize our life and choosing poorly can lead to a very cold, solitary, haunting life. It could be as plain as she got ill and died but he did not notice. In this case, the lesson expands because Ava’s love of the past ends up cutting her off from her time and life. Any lifestyle or vocation can be taken too far and ruin your life. It does pull some punches, and it turns out the vengeful ghost is Cora, Whitlock’s wife, who does not want to be separated from Whitlock so they can figure out how to reunite and be together in death, which Ava helps them with, but her good deed traps her in the store.
