Affection plunges the audience into a nightmare scenario and never lets up, serving up a gripping and intense psychological thriller/sci-fi/horror film. Affection revolves around a terrifying premise: what if you woke up one day and everything about your life – your home, your spouse, and even your own face – was completely different? How would you respond to a stranger staring back at you in the mirror?
Happy Death Day’s Jessica Rothe delivers a riveting, physically demanding performance as Ellie, the woman who’s inhabiting a body and a life she doesn’t recognize. Following an accident, Ellie wakes up believing she’s someone different than who her partner (played with unnerving patience by Joseph Cross) claims she is. Nothing in their home looks familiar, not even the framed family photos on the walls. This strange man is calling her “honey,” but who is he, and who is the young girl he insists is their daughter?
The fear and paranoia within the rural farmhouse grow as she struggles to piece together her identity. Ellie’s husband insists she’ll get better and the false memories she’s experiencing are the result of a traumatic brain injury. He claims she just needs to have patience and to accept that she’s suffering from a rare condition that causes untrustworthy images to invade her mind. But as days go by and that feeling of something being horribly off continues, Ellie begins to consider the possibility this strange man masquerading as her husband is trying to erase who she truly is.
First-time feature filmmaker BT Meza weaves a satisfyingly intense tale around the terrifying idea of not being able to trust your mind or your most intimate relationships. Meza’s writing is tight and smart, raising complex questions about love, loss, and losing your sense of self. Every new piece of information – and every terrifying seizure Ellie experiences – ratchets up the tension, making it nearly impossible to distinguish between what could be genuine concern on the husband’s part or sinister manipulation.
Rothe does a fantastic job portraying a woman forced into a matriarchal role that feels both alien and strangely familiar. The character’s rapidly deteriorating physical condition mirrors her state of mind until a twist in their relationship convinces her to make bold moves. It doesn’t matter if you see the twist coming; Meza shows real promise in the way his script handles the shifting dynamics and genres.
Confining the story to three central characters gives the story a penned-in, claustrophobic feel. Cut off from the outside world, the large farmhouse and its imposing surrounding fields lend the setting an end-of-the-world vibe. Joseph Cross and Julianna Layne (as the couple’s daughter) are terrific, but Rothe is the force who drives the narrative. It’s Ellie’s story and Rothe is fully committed to giving her a powerful emotional arc that overcomes the film’s few very minor missteps.
Meza’s debut is an absorbing, relentless, genre-blending thriller elevated by strong performances. Affection, which had its world premiere at the 2025 Screamfest, is a compelling showcase for an emerging filmmaker.
GRADE: B
Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Release Date: TBA
Writer/Director: BT Meza
Producers: Bay Dariz, BT Meza, Austin Walk, and JP Ouellette
Executive Producers: Christian Henderson and Christy Walker
Director of Photography: Jason Hafer
Editor: David Gallegos
Production Designer: Nicholas Faiella
Music By: Daniel Berk
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