''Presence'' is a 2024 American
supernatural thriller
Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. ...
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...
directed by
Steven Soderbergh
Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( ; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. A pioneer of modern Independent film, independent cinema, Soderbergh later drew acclaim for formally inventiv ...
and written by
David Koepp
David Koepp (; born June 9, 1963) is an American screenwriter and director. He is the fourth most successful screenwriter of all time in terms of U.S. box office receipts with a total gross of over $2.6 billion. Koepp has achieved both critical ...
. It stars
Lucy Liu
Lucy Alexis Liu (; born December 2, 1968) is an American actress, producer, and artist. Widely regarded as a trailblazer for Asian Americans in arts and entertainment, Asian American representation in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood, she is t ...
,
Chris Sullivan,
Callina Liang, Eddy Maday, West Mulholland, and
Julia Fox
Julia Fox (born February 2, 1990) is an Italian and American actress, model, and media personality. Her debut performance was in the 2019 film ''Uncut Gems'', for which she was nominated for the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Ac ...
.
''Presence'' premiered at the
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023.
The festival has acted ...
on January 19, 2024. It was released in U.S. theaters by
Neon
Neon is a chemical element; it has symbol Ne and atomic number 10. It is the second noble gas in the periodic table. Neon is a colorless, odorless, inert monatomic gas under standard conditions, with approximately two-thirds the density of ...
on January 24, 2025. The film has grossed $10.5 million on a $2 million production budget, and received positive reviews from critics.
Plot
An unseen Presence roams through a dark, empty suburban house. A realtor, Cece, shows the house to the Payne family: Rebekah, her husband Chris, and their children, Tyler and Chloe. Rebekah and Chris discuss the move and its implications for Tyler, who will flourish on the new school's swim team, and Chloe, who is emotionally vulnerable after a traumatic event. Chloe explores the house as the Presence follows her.
A member of the work crew renovated the house seems to sense the Presence. After the Paynes move in, Rebekah has a phone conversation implying she may be involved in
white-collar crime
The term "white-collar crime" refers to financially motivated, nonviolent or non-directly violent crime committed by individuals, businesses and government professionals. The crimes are believed to be committed by middle- or upper-class indivi ...
. She later shares this with Tyler, justifying her actions. Chloe is crying in her room when she senses the Presence and calls out "Nadia?".
Chris and Rebekah argue about Chloe's recently deceased friend, Nadia. Chris expresses concern, while Rebekah remains distant. Tyler's new friend Ryan comes over, and Tyler introduces him to Chloe. Ryan and Tyler talk about obtaining drugs for a party. The Presence closes Chloe’s door, shielding her from the interaction. Tension grows in the family as Rebekah continues showing favoritism to Tyler over Chloe, upsetting Chris. He consults a lawyer friend about whether legal separation would shield someone from liability if their spouse committed a crime.
Chloe and Ryan grow closer. They use drugs and talk in her room. Chloe opens up about Nadia and her grief, while Ryan shares his lifelong struggle with control. They begin to kiss, but the Presence interrupts by knocking down a shelf. At dinner, Chloe reveals that she has been sensing the Presence. Tyler mocks her, leading to a heated argument. Tyler tries to manipulate Chris by claiming he always takes Chloe’s side and questioning her grip on reality, but Chris defends her.
Tyler casually recounts to Rebekah how he and his friends
catfished a female classmate to obtain a nude photo. Rebekah laughs this off until Chloe angrily interrupts, showing them the photo on her phone and accusing Tyler of leaking it online. The Presence wrecks Tyler’s room as the whole family looks on.
The family retreat outside. Chloe insists the
poltergeist
In German folklore and ghostlore, a poltergeist ( or ; ; or ) is a type of ghost or spirit that is responsible for physical disturbances, such as loud noises and objects being moved or destroyed. Most claims or fictional descriptions of polter ...
is Nadia and means no harm, but Tyler lashes out at her. Chris defends Chloe. He contacts Cece, who reassures him that no one has died in the house, which she would be legally obligated to mention. She refers him to her sister-in-law, Lisa, a psychic medium. Lisa visits and explains that the Presence seems confused and is possibly experiencing time non-linearly but means no harm. Rebekah and Tyler react with fear and skepticism.
Chloe and Ryan have sex, and he secretly spikes her drink afterward. Before Chloe can drink it, the Presence spills it.
Chris tells Chloe he believes her about the Presence and will always support her. Lisa returns and warns Chris that she believes the Presence is there to prevent a future event.
The Presence’s physical influence wanes. Chris confides in Rebekah that he considered divorce, and they reconcile. The two leave on a business trip. Tyler drinks and listens to music in the living room. The Presence approaches, and he appears to sense it, but gets distracted by Ryan's arrival. Ryan drugs Tyler's drink, leaving him unconscious in the living room, and brings another spiked drink to Chloe.
Chloe refuses to have sex, but Ryan pressures her into drinking, incapacitating her. He begins suffocating Chloe using plastic wrap, bragging that he killed Nadia and the other girl the same way and staged both as overdoses. The Presence is unable to intervene. It moves downstairs and wakes Tyler. He rushes upstairs and tackles Ryan, causing both to crash through Chloe’s bedroom window and fall to their deaths.
Much later, the grieving family is moving out of the house. Before leaving, Rebekah senses the Presence and follows it to an antique mirror in the living room. In the reflection, she sees Tyler and breaks down in grief. As the rest of the family gathers around her, the Presence leaves the house and ascends into the sky.
Cast
*
Lucy Liu
Lucy Alexis Liu (; born December 2, 1968) is an American actress, producer, and artist. Widely regarded as a trailblazer for Asian Americans in arts and entertainment, Asian American representation in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood, she is t ...
as Rebekah Payne
*
Chris Sullivan as Chris Payne, the father of Chloe and Tyler
*
Callina Liang as Chloe Payne, Rebekah and Chris's daughter and Tyler's younger sister. She is upset and grieving the death of her friend Nadia prior to the move.
* Eddy Maday as Tyler Payne, Rebekah and Chris's son and Chloe's older brother. He is a competitive swimmer, and Rebekah wanted to move to support his performance.
* West Mulholland as Ryan Caldwell, Tyler's new friend
*
Julia Fox
Julia Fox (born February 2, 1990) is an Italian and American actress, model, and media personality. Her debut performance was in the 2019 film ''Uncut Gems'', for which she was nominated for the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Ac ...
as Cece, the realtor
* Natalie Woolams-Torres as Lisa, the medium
*Lucas Papaelias as Carl, Lisa's husband
Production
Development
The film, written by
David Koepp
David Koepp (; born June 9, 1963) is an American screenwriter and director. He is the fourth most successful screenwriter of all time in terms of U.S. box office receipts with a total gross of over $2.6 billion. Koepp has achieved both critical ...
and directed by
Steven Soderbergh
Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( ; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. A pioneer of modern Independent film, independent cinema, Soderbergh later drew acclaim for formally inventiv ...
, was not announced publicly until December 2023 when it was revealed to be part of the 2024
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023.
The festival has acted ...
.
The concept originated with Soderbergh, who was inspired by his own beliefs of living with a presence in his house, which he and his wife called "Mimi": "It got me thinking about how Mimi would feel about us being in her house. Is Mimi pissed at us living here?".
Soderbergh remains personally skeptical of the existence of ghosts, despite his mother being a
parapsychologist.
He wrote 10 pages of a script before handing it off to Koepp, who then fleshed out the plot and added the movie's final twist.
Filming
Principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
took place over 11 days in September 2023 with an interim SAG-AFTRA agreement from the
2023 SAG-AFTRA strike
From July 14 to November 9, 2023, the American actors' union SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) went on strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Pro ...
.
The film is shot entirely in the
first-person perspective, and was filmed in a house in
Cranford, New Jersey
Cranford is a Township (New Jersey), township in Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located southwest of Manhattan. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 23,847, an increas ...
.
Speaking of the film's low budget and quick production time, Soderbergh said "The beauty of projects at this scale is I can just do them without having to talk to anybody."
Soderbergh did his own cinematography and most of the filming, under his pseudonym, Peter Andrews.
The film was shot on a
Sony
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...
mirrorless camera
A mirrorless camera (sometimes referred to as a mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera (MILC) or digital single-lens mirrorless (DSLM)) is a digital camera which, in contrast to DSLRs, does not use a mirror in order to ensure that the image ...
with a
DJI Ronin stabilizer, with Soderbergh wearing nylon and rubber slippers to reduce noise from his own footsteps.
Much of the film consists of non-traditional cinematography
and
long shots, which Soderbergh describes as "mini plays".
Describing the conceit, Soderbergh said: "It might be the simplest idea I've ever had … The camera’s the ghost".
The several shots in which Soderbergh had to go up and down stairs while filming were a particular challenge, since Soderbergh had to look at his feet while walking. He rehearsed aiming the camera at these moments by feel alone, but still spoiled several long takes partway through.
Release
The film premiered at the
2024 Sundance Film Festival
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 18 to 28, 2024. The first lineup of competition films was announced on December 6, 2023.
Among the highlighted events included the premiere of a documentary about the 1980s rock band Dev ...
on January 19, 2024. Shortly after,
Neon
Neon is a chemical element; it has symbol Ne and atomic number 10. It is the second noble gas in the periodic table. Neon is a colorless, odorless, inert monatomic gas under standard conditions, with approximately two-thirds the density of ...
acquired distribution rights to the film for $5 million.
The film premiered in New York City on January 16, 2025. It was released in theaters in the United States on January 24, 2025.
Reception
Box office
''Presence'' grossed $6.9 million in the United States and Canada, and $3.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $10.5 million.
In the United States and Canada, ''Presence'' was released alongside ''
Flight Risk'' and ''
Brave the Dark'' and was projected to gross $2–3 million from 1,750 theaters in its opening weekend.
[ It made $1.4 million on its first day, including an estimated $385,000 from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $3.3 million, finishing in sixth.
]
Critical response
Audiences polled by CinemaScore
CinemaScore is an American market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts from the data.
Background
Ed Mintz, who ...
gave the film an average grade of "C+" on an A+ to F scale, while those surveyed by PostTrak gave it a 58% overall positive score, with 33% saying they would "definitely recommend" it.
Critics particularly praised the film for its cinematography and lean, single-location structure. David Rooney of ''The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' described it as "a nail-biting ghost story" with an "expertly honed screenplay". Devan Coggan of ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' praised it as "a taut character drama, a single-location nightmare that chronicles the Payne family’s unraveling". Saying that ''Presence'' "might be the best thing Soderbergh has done in ages," Bilge Ebiri of ''New York Magazine
''New York'' is an American biweekly magazine concerned with life, culture, politics, and style generally, with a particular emphasis on New York City.
Founded by Clay Felker and Milton Glaser in 1968 as a competitor to ''The New Yorker'' a ...
'' wrote that the film "isn’t afraid to be narratively predictable, because it’s out there visually. It’s an art film that also works as a spellbinding horror film". Stephanie Zacharek of ''Time
Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' described it as "a film that builds dread but also has some poetry in its heart".
David Sims, writing for ''The Atlantic
''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher based in Washington, D.C. It features articles on politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.
It was founded in 185 ...
'', was less positive about the movie's leanness, describing it as "less an entrée than a charming apéritif, albeit with a couple of smart twists worth ruminating on". In a mixed review, Mark Hanson of '' Slant'' said of the film that "The unoriginality of the story eventually calls out the POV conceit as a one-note gimmick", comparing it unfavorably with H.P. Mendoza's '' I Am a Ghost'' and Oz Perkins' '' I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House''. In one of the few negative reviews, Rex Reed
Rex Taylor Reed (born October 2, 1938) is an American film critic, journalist, and media personality.
Raised throughout the southern United States and educated at Louisiana State University, Reed moved to New York City in the early 1960s to begi ...
of the ''New York Observer
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995
* "New" (Daya song), 2017
* "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...
'' called it "a lifeless, cliché-ridden ghost story that delivers neither scares nor suspense" that is ultimately a "worthless" film.
Notes
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Presence (2024 film)
2024 films
2024 drama films
2024 independent films
2024 thriller films
2020s American films
2020s English-language films
2020s ghost films
2020s mystery drama films
2020s mystery thriller films
2020s supernatural thriller films
American haunted house films
American independent films
American mystery drama films
American mystery thriller films
American supernatural drama films
American supernatural thriller films
English-language independent films
English-language mystery drama films
English-language mystery thriller films
Films about dysfunctional families
Films about interracial romance
Films directed by Steven Soderbergh
Films shot from the first-person perspective
Films shot in New Jersey
Films with screenplays by David Koepp
Neon (company) films