BACKROOMS was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. I first found out about the concept of the backrooms when I was in seventh grade. This internet subculture started from a single image of an empty room. The room was either a department store, furniture salesroom, or office building with dreary yellow wallpaper and fluorescent lighting. It evoked nostalgia in many, as we all shared a sense of having once been in this exact room. It then turned into a whole “aesthetic” called “dream core.” You could see a variety of liminal spaces, such as swimming pools, abandoned malls, and old movie theaters. All retro places that seemed slightly off while still drawing you towards them for some reason. As someone obsessed with the 80s, malls, and a deeply weird love of furniture stores, I felt so connected to this off-putting aesthetic.
I became so obsessed with these rooms that I came up with the concept of a film about the backrooms. In my head, it was about an hour-long silent film of a girl making her way through different levels in the backrooms. Completely alone with no clue of how she got there, but we can see on her face that she feels she’s been there before. I developed about 40 minutes’ worth of content and could see everything so clearly in my head. I even came up with some storyboard ideas and messed around with them until around my sophomore year. So, when I heard that one of my favorite film studios was releasing a film about the backrooms, I was ecstatic. “Hey! I’ve been saying for years that this should be on film!” Because of this personal connection to the source material, I was excited but certainly a bit wary. No one would care if it didn’t match exactly what was in my head when I envisioned my version of the backrooms, but I would know deep down that I had created a whole world. I never expected to be near tears watching the film, just because of how much it did match up. I was so fulfilled that something I had wanted for years was unfolding right before my eyes, and it couldn’t be more perfect. Now, please don’t read this story and think “this 18-year-old girl thinks she could do BACKROOMS as good as Kane Parsons? She thinks Kane Parsons stole this film from her?” Nay nay, simply showing why I think I have some ground to speak on when it comes to the film, as I’ve done hours upon hours of research on this topic and care very deeply about it.
The film follows Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor, whom I love more and more with each movie I see him in), an aspiring architect and furniture salesman, as he discovers a series of strange rooms beneath his furniture store. He navigates not only the layers of this mysterious labyrinth but also the complexities of his mind with the help of his therapist, Mary (Renate Reinsve, an actress who is dominating the current film landscape). As simple as it may seem, the film is thematically rich and has many moments where the cinematography does the talking.
I want to pivot from talking about the film specifically and delve into a theme I’ve been thinking about since watching the film- nostalgia. The original concept of the Backrooms feels oddly familiar; you can’t quite place why you feel so connected to it, but once, you were there in that room. Whenever I see a photo of the backrooms or “dreamcore”, it feels as if I’m transported back to my childhood, taking a mental picture and freezing the moment forever. The image makes me feel as if I am living in that emotional state, with time stopping and me alone with nothing but the memory. But that’s why nostalgia is such a slippery slope. We constantly reach for something familiar, trying to come to terms with the fact that we’ll never get that moment back. But we are never supposed to go back; that nostalgic moment is not meant for who we are now. You may be nostalgic for high school or a childhood summer day, but even if you could go back, it would not serve you the same way. That moment existed for a version of you that no longer exists; trying to hold on to it forever will only harm you. It will be a semblance of what you once remembered, but never a replica of the original.
That, to me, is the exact core of what made BACKROOMS so compelling and personal to watch as a newly graduated high school student. The film showcases exactly what happens when you hold onto something for too long. It twists it and manipulates your memories, for better or worse. I can think back on the best time of my life, but if I remember one bad detail too clearly, my brain will choose to taint the good. This also works vice versa: oftentimes, when I think back on a truly horrid period of my life, any good from the time comes to mind first, and I will relish the joy of the moment. It shows how dangerous the mind is when it comes to using memories as facts, and ties back into why trying to hold onto a nostalgic moment for longer than needed can lead to danger.
One of my biggest fears when going into BACKROOMS was that there would be too much fan service and we would dive too deep into entities and create lore for this world. What makes the backrooms so chilling to me is the aspect of loneliness and the sense of no end. An eternal series of similar rooms with something slightly off and no company is more dastardly than any monster will be. The film does a great job of combining supernatural forces with the power of the psyche. Without spoiling anything else, know that the monsters in the film are among the smartest and most creative decisions Parsons could have made. I was incredibly pleased to see how everything unfolded, and as a Backrooms fan, I was satisfied.
Parsons is brilliant, and we must give him his flowers. Whether or not you enjoyed every aspect of the film it is undeniable that Parsons did something spectacular. A full-length horror film from one of the biggest current film companies at 19 years old is something many of us can only dream of. The film is not just good because someone so young created it; it would be a fantastic feat by anyone, of any age. It shows the power that young filmmakers bring and that you don’t need experience to make a film. So many shots and plot devices made me sit there going, “How does someone even come up with that?”It’s really brilliant, just truly a spectacular career we are witnessing before our very eyes.
I’ve seen many people start to compare this film to OBSESSION, which I immediately disengage with. Both films are wonderful in completely separate ways. Two horror films from directors making their debut that absolutely outperformed at the box office. These films should both be celebrated for what they are, rather than compared to each other. It is quite literally comparing lemons and oranges. They are both fruits (films) and citrus (horror), but they serve incredibly different needs. I am astounded that in the same month, a couple of weeks apart, we got two of the strongest horror films we’ve seen in years. That’s certainly not something to take for granted.
The film will not be for everyone. As a film critic, I struggle to narrow it down to a black-and-white: who it is for vs. who will not care for it. I think you will get more from this film if you go in ready to challenge your mind. Get ready to leave the theater and spend the drive home coming up with your own interpretation of what the film is and what the ending meant. If you want a film where everything is spelled out clearly and served on a silver platter, this is not for you. Parsons isn’t interested in going the easy way out, nor should he be. This is not a film you can watch while on your phone, which we need more of. I am thrilled whenever we get a movie where I can say, “My take on the ending is that…” and it can be completely different from the person next to me. That’s what art is!! It’s personal, and the best art comes from when you can connect to it in a way no one else can.
If you want something out there, see BACKROOMS. You’ll get something out of it, even if you don’t love it as a whole. I am ecstatic to go back another time to explore the details I missed and look at the picture more closely. BACKROOMS can’t quite be captured in a single review; it’s much more of an experience. Trying to write a solid review of BACKROOMS is like describing a dog to someone who’s never seen a dog and then asking them to draw it. It’ll generally be right, but something will feel off.
BACKROOMS is now playing in theaters.
