Maybe it's good that imaginary friends are confined to the boundaries of a person’s mind. “Imaginary” is a new psychological horror film based around the concept of “imaginary friends,” figments of a person’s imagination to fill the void of an actual friend.
The movie introduces the main characters: Jessica, a children’s book author; Max, a musician; and Taylor, Max’s teenage daughter who keeps her younger sister Alice at arms-length. The family then moves into Jessica’s childhood home, where Alice finds an old teddy bear, Jessica’s old imaginary friend, Chauncey, and forms a bond with it. However, as Alice’s behavior around Chauncey becomes more and more disturbing, to the point that Jessica has to stop her from nearly impaling herself with a nail, she starts to slowly realize that something may be more than off about Chauncey.
The director for this film may have left their mark on the horror industry. Jeff Wadlow is an American screenwriter, producer and director best known for writing and directing films such as “Truth or Dare,” “Kick-Ass 2” and “Fantasy Island.” Born in Arlington, Virginia, Wadlow started his career with his short film “tHE tOWeR oF BabBLe,” which gained him more than two dozen awards, a few being Best Short Film at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival, Best Short Film at the St. Louis International Film Festival, the George Méliès Cinematography Award at the Taos Talking Picture Festival and a Student Award at the USA Film Festival.
Of course, a film can only be complete with its cast. DeWanda Wise, the actress for Jessica, is an American actress who starred in Spike Lee’s Netflix comedy-drama “She’s Gotta Have It.” She also made appearances in other films such as “Steam,” “Knucklehead,” “Fatherhood” and “Poolman.” Then there’s Max, played by Tom Payne, an English actor best known for his appearance in AMC’s “The Walking Dead.” He’s done more than just those two roles in films, as he also worked in films like “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day,” “The Task,” “Still Young” and “IO.”
Overall, “Imaginary” is a movie that takes a well-beloved topic and twists it into a heart-stopping experience. “Imaginary” came out March 8 and can be watched at AMC Theaters, Living Room Theaters and more.