Lilly Lives Alone is bogged down by horror tropes and a poor script. It’s at its best when it leans into unsuspected jump scares and frightening imagery.
Writer & Director: Martin Melnick
Genre: Horror
Run Time: 100′
U.S. Release: August 22, 2025
U.K. Release: TBA
Where to Watch: In U.S. theaters, and on digital & VOD
Several horror films in the last decade have been used as unlikely megaphones for profound statements on grief. Critically acclaimed A24 films like Hereditary and Talk To Me see grief as a central plot point, while unique projects like No One Will Save You hint at deep feelings of loss while never truly explicating their origins. Lilly Lives Alone, Martin Melnick’s feature film debut, follows this trend.
Ever since the loss of her daughter, Lilly (Shannon Beeby, of Orange is the New Black) sees things. She hears things. She remembers fragments of a traumatic event involving lots of blood and distress, but she’s mostly scared by images and sounds that she can’t explain. The film follows her maddening fever dream as she comes to terms with her haunted life.
Lilly Lives Alone tries combining the best aspects of horror filmmaking with deep musings on death. The result, unfortunately, is a thematically confusing movie stuffed with too many tropes and poor writing. After many overlong segments of expositional dialogue that disrupt pacing and plot development, viewers will be aching for another well timed jump scare.
This horror movie has all of the props one would expect: creepy stuffed animals, ominous static on an aged television, and children behaving oddly are some examples of Melnick’s clear intention of bringing together several vibes from iconic horror films. It’s not quite the tapestry of woven threads I think he was aiming for, but the homage to other horror films is at least admirable. More commendable is his ability to unsettle. Several of the scares in Lilly Lives Alone are easy to watch; they might raise heart rates for a moment, but they don’t elicit strong reactions. There is one toward the end, however, that truly hit me, even causing me to physically cringe—which is high praise from a horror fanatic. It served as a much needed return to straight-up horror after some more poorly delivered dialogue.
Shannon Beeby plays Lilly well. She embodies paranoia, rage, fear, and grief in praiseworthy physical acting. She’s supported by Ryan Jonze (of The Blacklist) and Jeffrey Combs (of Re-Animator), who both seek to help her as she questions the reality of her experiences. While they have great on-screen chemistry and make the viewing experience better, the script muzzles their potential in nearly every scene. Several conversations throughout the film earn the indictment that “people don’t talk like that.” Thankfully, Beeby is still engaging as the lead actor.
The cinematography (also done by Martin Melnick) in Lilly Lives Alone visualizes Lilly’s suspicions and fears perfectly. Most of the seminal moments feature tight shots with a handheld camera. These shots are naturally shaky and difficult to follow, forcing viewers to experience the world as Lilly does. As this film mostly takes place in a single location, the cinematography limits viewers’ general awareness of Lilly’s house. Though so much time is spent in one place, there are crevices and corners still covered in shadow, just beyond every frame.
Lilly Lives Alone is bogged down by overused horror tropes and a truly poor script. It’s at its best when it leans into unsuspected jump scares and frightening imagery, which unfortunately don’t occupy much of the runtime. While the cast contribute worthy performances, the overall result is a disjointed film that’s hard to become invested in.
Lilly Lives Alone: Movie Plot & Recap
Synopsis:
Lilly is guided by the ghost of her daughter in a nightmarish fever dream. She questions reality and becomes increasingly paranoid as time goes on, trying to make sense of her haunted life.
Pros:
- Features good jump scares
- Great on-screen chemistry among the cast
Cons:
- Poor script and heavy expositional dialogue
- Overstuffed with horror tropes
- Disjointed pacing and plot development
Lilly Lives Alone will be released in US theatres and on digital & VOD on August 22, 2025.
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