Jessica Rothe amplifies Affection with a gripping performance (Overlook 2026 review)

Courtesy of Blue Finch

Horror fans know Jessica Rothe best for director Christopher Landon's Happy Death Day movies. Her character, Tree, is one of the most likeable final girls of the last decade. Part of this has to do with Rothe's ability to show off her comedic chops in those movies. Her latest film, Affection, also deals with time loops and memory, but it's a much different beast than Happy Death Day. In writer/director BT Meza's sci-fi/horror debut, Rothe gives a powerhouse performance that proves she deserves much meatier roles moving forward.

The movie opens with Rothe's character, Ellie, crawling on the road after a car accident. She then stands up, only to spasm. I can't understate just how gripping and haunting this opening is and how damn good Rothe's performance is during this first sequence. The way she contorts and twists her body reminded me of the subway scene in Possession and Isabelle Adjani's performance. This is Rothe giving everything she has to the role in that particular moment. It's truly a visceral and jolting opening.

From there, Ellie wakes up in a house she doesn't recognize, comforted by a husband, Bruce (Joseph Cross). She also learns that she has a daughter, Alice (Julianna Layne), but again, she can't recall anything. Initially, the movie seems to deal with amnesia and how terrifying it is not to remember a single thing, including your closest loved ones. For about the first half of the movie, that's the territory that Affection explores. However, there are moments where Ellie states that she remembers a different family and different people, but the soft-toned Bruce tells her that's all part of the process and memory recovery. That said, something seems amiss and perhaps even sinister. Because this is also a horror movie, the audience will likely guess that there's more going on here than amnesia.

The film reveals more as it barrels towards its third act. It turns out that Bruce isn't exactly as nice as he claims to be, and the reasons for Ellie's memory slips and amnesia come into clearer view. It's at this point that the film shifts to deal with heavier themes and some sci-fi territory, such as consciousness and even the future of memory. I won't spoil the reveals that come late in the film, but I will state that I wish more time was afforded to some of the topics. They're relevant and interesting but feel a bit rushed.

As part of her journey towards the truth, Ellie encounters some horrifying imagery, including a body in a bloody bag that suddenly moves. There are a few sequences in this film that are pure nightmare fuel and show that Meza has a good visual eye. Additionally, while Rothe's performance is strong and compelling throughout the film, Cross and Layne carry their weight too. In fact, Cross is effective even when he's not given much dialogue, and Layne, late in the film, showcases her character's fear and resilience.

Overall, Affection is the type of film that I'm eager to see again. A lot of this has to do with Rothe's fantastic performance, but also because of the themes at play. This movie is like the anti-Happy Death Day. Gone are the comedic beats and instead, there's something much weightier at stake here, giving Rothe a chance to showcase her dramatic chops and underscore why she should be cast as the lead in more films.

Affection just screened at the 2026 Overlook Film Festival.

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