June 10th: Doctor Sleep

Heeeeeeere’s Danny

Doctor Sleep

Released: 2019

Directed by: Mike Flanagan

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Zahn McClarnon, Kyliegh Curran, Cliff Curtis

To make a sequel to a classic novel and its equally classic — but controversial — film adaptation at the same time is an ambitious task. Mike Flanagan is up to it. He clearly loves Stephen King’s book, but for different reasons he also loves Kubrick’s film, and Doctor Sleep tries to honor both without pretending they were ever fully the same story. Ewan McGregor plays an adult Danny Torrance, who — like his father before him — is trying to bury trauma, especially the trauma tied to his latent psychic ability, the “shine,” beneath alcoholism. After more painful experiences push him to a breaking point, Danny finds support through a man named Billy and the structure of Alcoholics Anonymous. At the same time, he forms a connection with a young girl named Abra, who possesses the shine as well. Danny eventually takes a job as an orderly in a hospice program, where he uses his gift to comfort the dying, earning the nickname “Doctor Sleep.”

The film’s central conflict comes from a group known as the True Knot. A band of wanderers led by the charismatic Rose the Hat, played by Rebecca Ferguson, they are psychic vampires who sustain themselves by feeding on the life force — or “steam” — of their victims. They care deeply for one another and exist as a twisted, almost wholesome family whose members indulge in kidnapping and murder to satiate their hunger. In one of the film’s most horrifying scenes, they torture and murder a kidnapped little boy because fear makes the steam more potent, especially when the victim possesses the shine, as both Abra and the boy do. Their centuries-long hunger has not robbed them of their capacity for love, loyalty, or family. Instead, it has stripped away their empathy for anyone outside their circle. To the True Knot, ordinary humans are no longer fellow people but merely a source of sustenance, no different than livestock. The act draws Abra’s attention, which in turn draws the attention of Rose. Realizing she is being hunted, Abra reaches out to Danny for help. Their struggle against the True Knot eventually leads them to the most dangerous place imaginable for people with the shine: the Overlook Hotel.

The story has a more personal nature than The Shining. It explores the inner turmoil that both Stephen King’s novels address and that Kubrick’s film often leaves beneath the surface. Danny’s alcoholism is as much an obstacle for him to overcome as the True Knot. Guilt, shame, and regret make his heroic turn — not only in helping Abra, but also in caring for the dying through his hospice work — a defining aspect of his character. Rather than hide from the shine, Danny learns to embrace it and helps Abra do the same. In doing so, they use their gift to make the world a better place. It is not an easy choice. Their abilities place a burden on them and expose them to dangers most people never encounter. Yet as they come to realize that predators like the True Knot exist in the world, they also recognize that those with the shine have a responsibility to stand against them.

Small Observations:

• Ewan McGregor gives a contemplative and introspective performance as Danny Torrance. In many ways, he serves as the inverse of Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance in The Shining. At first, Danny uses both alcohol and the shine as a blanket to hide from the world and his own trauma. As he gains confidence and begins to heal, however, he learns to use the shine as a source of comfort rather than escape. He uses it to help Abra, to comfort hospice patients, and ultimately to protect others. Where Jack’s pain manifests as anger and destruction, Danny’s growth leads him toward compassion and service.
• There is something strangely appealing about the True Knot. They care for and support one another, providing community, belonging, and love to people who might otherwise be alone. The induction of Snakebite Andi shows how they take society’s castoffs and give them purpose. This aspect of the group works largely because of the performances of Rebecca Ferguson and Zahn McClarnon, who establish the True Knot as a genuine family rather than merely a collection of villains. Their affection for one another feels real, which makes their predatory nature all the more disturbing.
• The baseball boy scene is truly memorable. Jacob Tremblay, who plays the young victim, delivers a heartbreaking performance. His portrayal was so convincing that many of the adult actors playing members of the True Knot reportedly struggled to film the scene, with some brought to tears by his performance. For his part, Tremblay was completely unfazed. After filming wrapped, he reportedly got up and high-fived his father, a reminder that the horrifying scene was ultimately the product of talented performers doing their jobs exceptionally well.
• MCU actors: 1

Overall Rank: A

A beloved novel. A beloved film. It is difficult enough to successfully make a sequel to one, but adapting both at the same time is an almost monumental task. Mike Flanagan meets that challenge here with nuanced performances and a personal touch not often found in horror films. Recommended.