Caché (Hidden) – Review

This is such a very hard film to review, and those that absolutely need all the answers by the end should not bother with this movie. For all others, there is a TON to absorb. From a director that I have mixed feelings about comes a unique tale that is very hard to compare to most anything else, which is also a touch narratively abstract.

The plot is very simple, yet provokes a building atmosphere of unease. A married couple starts receiving VHS tapes on their front porch. When played, the tapes reveal surveillance videos of their own home, focusing on the same porch that the tapes were delivered to.

Naturally this sparks some tension in the couple’s lives. Is this a joke? Is this a threat? Who was doing this? Is this related to work? Is this related to the past? Where were the cameras filming from? Why was this filming happening?!?! What should one do about such a weird problem????

As the stalking continues and the personal nature of the tapes grows, a psychological curtain drapes over the entire film. While not conclusive, the story gives the viewer so much to process and ponder that the overall creepy vibe should hang with you well after the credits roll.

There is a lot to comprehend when it comes to this movie, including some “meta” aspects. Figuring out exactly what this movie is saying is a challenge, however for me I was fully enthralled by its core mystery and the overall atmosphere of paranoia and dread that the tapes set. I enjoyed the mystifying happenings throughout the runtime and eerie ending.

Comparison films listed below are a stretch, as nothing immediately comes to mind for a similar experience.