Expecting unleashes ghastly family secrets and relationship tension

The relationship at the center of writer/director Michael Lippert's Expecting is a prime example of a toxic marriage. Author Maria (Alex Jade) and her husband John (James van Langenberg) are no good for each other. This is evident from their first scene together. He's dismissive of her concerns, and they spend most of the film arguing. In fact, what this indie horror movie does really well is explore the tension within a marriage, while also unearthing some dark family secrets.

John and Maria travel to a rural location to tend to Maria's uncle's home. Viewers eventually learn that the uncle slit his throat, though initially, it's unclear why. However, there are mysterious clues and warnings surrounding the house and what secrets the uncle may have harbored. For instance, on the drive there, the couple think that they hit a girl standing in the middle of the road. They didn't, but Maria can't shake the image from her mind. Additionally, the anxiety surrounding her pregnancy is reinforced by eerie imagery, including a woman bleeding out in a store, reoccurring images of the ghost girl, and sounds of a baby wailing. All of this is used effectively to underscore the secrets surrounding the town and the uncle's house, but also Maria's realization that maybe she doesn't want the baby or to remain married to John.

Additionally, the town itself feels like a character. While it's true this could be any small town, U.S.A., it constantly feels like there's more to the town than viewers initially realize, and Maria and John are outsiders who don't fit in with the rednecks. Further, it seems like the townies know what's in that house and that poses a threat to the married couple. In fact, at one point, Maria and John discover coins that the uncle apparently cast away in the furnace. This drives another wedge between the couple because Maria wants nothing to do with them, or anything else in the house for that matter, including a strange book that she demands John remove from her presence. John sees the coins as a means to make money. He puts financial concerns above his wife's needs, always.

Again, this movie works best when it focuses on the strained marriage. The leads also give compelling performances. You feel the emotional weight and exhaustion that Maria undergoes, due to Jade's performance. On the other hand, van Langenberg does a great job playing an absolute jerk. John constantly dismisses his wife's concerns. In fact, at one point, while vomiting into the toilet, Maria says again and again that she wants to leave her uncle's house and return home. She admits the pregnancy feels like the baby wants to rip her apart. It's a harrowing scene, and John responds that it's just "a little morning sickness." This is one of the most memorable sequences because it really underscores the ugliness in the marriage.

Lloyd Kaufman as Floyd Dinkenhouser

Another highlight is Lloyd Kaufman's role as real estate agent Floyd Dinkenhouser. Horror fans know him best from Troma films, and he's pretty off the wall here, too. It's a great character part, especially a monologue he gives to John and Maria near the film's halfway point.

The film's only real flaw is that the uncle's backstory and the occult aspect feel a bit too undercooked. There was a lot of potential to really flesh out why the uncle killed himself and what the book and coins all mean. Some of it is revealed in the ending, but the final minutes raise more questions than answers.

Still, overall, Expecting is a solid indie horror movie with a lean runtime. While it has some scares, it works best when it focuses on a failing marriage and Maria's justified anxieties surrounding her pregnancy. The real horror here lies in how a wife feels like her husband threatens her sense of agency.

You can watch Expecting on BloodStream TV.