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After She Wakes

After She Wakes

2019

Director

David Arthur Clark

Runtime

78 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

After tragic death of her baby son, a narcoleptic mother with young daughter suffers from terrifying sleep disruptions as they try to deal with ongoing pain and grief. They begin experiencing different episodes of parasomnia including night terrors and sleep paralysis, leaving them unable to move and only able to witness horrific visions. These nightmares become too disturbing as they create a rift in their own realities causing the mother to believe someone or something is watching her sleep every night. Soon the terrifying visions from their dreams begin to manifest into a sinister reality, leaving the mother vulnerable.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.5/10

Fair


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The narrative focuses on the maternal bond and shared grief between a mother and daughter. No explicit LGBTQ+ characters or non-heteronormative identities are present in the story.

Gender Representation

Fair

The film centers on female agency through maternal struggle and psychological endurance. While it avoids some traditional horror tropes, the focus on vulnerability may lean into depictions of female fragility.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Minimal

The provided details do not specify the racial or ethnic identities of the cast. A score cannot be assigned without risking inaccurate interpretation of the characters.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Fair

The story explores a nuanced view of the nuclear family by depicting it as a site of pain rather than stability. It blurs the lines between internal trauma and external reality.

Disability Representation

Good

The protagonist's narcolepsy and parasomnia are integrated into her fundamental identity. This provides a platform for exploring neurodivergence and chronic health conditions through a character-driven lens.

Strengths

  • Provides a meaningful exploration of neurodivergence through the protagonist's narcolepsy.
  • Subverts traditional horror tropes by centering female agency and maternal endurance.
  • Offers a nuanced, non-idealized depiction of the nuclear family unit.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks explicit LGBTQ+ representation or non-heteronormative identities.
  • Provides no information regarding racial or ethnic diversity within the cast.
  • Risk of leaning into traditional tropes of female fragility and vulnerability.

AI Analysis

After She Wakes is a psychological horror film that finds its strength in its intimate, character-driven focus. By centering the narrative on a mother's struggle with narcolepsy and parasomnia, the film offers a meaningful exploration of neurodivergence and the physiological disruptions of chronic health conditions. However, the film's diversity is somewhat limited by its narrow scope. The narrative lacks visible LGBTQ+ representation and provides no information regarding racial or ethnic diversity. While it subverts some gendered horror tropes, it still risks falling into traditional depictions of female fragility through its emphasis on grief and vulnerability. Ultimately, the film succeeds as a study of domestic instability and subjective reality, even if it lacks broader intersectional breadth.

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