“The Autopsy of Jane Doe” was directed by Norwegian filmmaker André Øvredal, his first English-language production. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2016, and IFC Midnight released it later that year.
It’s well acted, the primary cast being only two people. And it’s perfectly timed at 86 minutes, lagging at no point. Its first act was nearly faultless, but several elements in the latter half kept it from being horror perfection.
An Unmatched Setting for Terror
The film takes place at the Tilden Morgue; a fictional, family-owned morgue and crematorium. That in itself is the perfect backdrop for scares, with an automatic creep-factor set to the max. And that’s on a good day. This movie takes place on a dark and stormy night. Yikes.
We meet Tommy and Austin Tilden, father and son respectively. The pair is in the midst of a post-mortem examination, dissecting a human corpse with rock music blasting over a radio. The imagery seems visceral to the viewer but its just another day at the office for the Tildens.
Tommy (Brian Cox) is an experienced coroner. He’s scientific in his method and approach and has witnessed hundreds of scenarios over his many years in the practice. Austin (Emile Hirsch) is the heir to the family business.
He has a close bond with his dad, evidence by excellent writing and acting by both men. Austin demonstrates more humanity for the dead than his father does. He sees them as people with personal history, and family and friends, where Tommy is more detached. “Leave the why to the cops and the shrinks.” Tommy explains. “We’re just here to find the cause of death. No more, no less.”
Great Cast
I’ve never been into medical or crime dramas, but I would watch a series showcasing the Tilden family. The dynamic between Tommy and Austin is fun to watch. Tommy teaches things to Austin. Yes, he is more experienced. But it’s also a way for the viewer to understand what’s going on scientifically without sounding like an exposition dump.
Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch have an excellent rapport, and the bond is organic. Through clever dialogue, we learn that Tommy’s wife and Austin’s mother has passed away, leaving Tommy alone.
The reason for her death isn’t blatantly given, though one can surmise it. Complicating matters is Austin’s girlfriend (Ophelia Lovibond) who wants Austin to leave the business and for the pair to move away.
The Plot
“The Autopsy of Jane Doe” opens at a brutal and bloody crime scene where the preserved body of a woman is found under a house. Her cause of death or reasons for being there are a mystery. The sheriff (Michael McElhatton of “Game of Thrones”) delivers the body to the Tilden’s needing a cause of death by morning.
As Tommy and Austin begin the autopsy of Jane Doe (Olwen Kelly) they begin to discover some strange things about the body. As they further investigate the cause of death, a dark secret is revealed.
André Øvredal demonstrates a mastery of delivering suspense. Establishing shots offer us the layout of the morgue. It’s a 100-year-old building. Hallways are long and dark. A circular mirror in the corner will most certainly be used for something scary at some point.
One body has a bell attached to its foot and Tommy explains that it’s an old practice done with coma victims. Chekhov’s bell – we know we’re going to hear it ring. There’s even a cat for jump scares, but its presence at the morgue is effectively explained.
Conclusion
The second half of the movie includes some tropes that I didn’t care for. There’s a rather quick explanation of the events that sounded rushed. And I thoroughly disliked the score which felt out of place at times.
Watching Tommy and Austin perform an autopsy in a room full of bodies is chilling enough. The inclusion of a score took the realistic elements out of play and detracted from the creepy vibes of the atmosphere on its own.
“The Autopsy of Jane Doe” is a good horror movie. It’s fast and compelling. It had the potential for perfection but is still worth checking out.
