The Caretaker

A wonderful character-driven, slow-burn psychological horror/thriller which premiered at 2025’s FrightFest in London. Following the recent passing of his abusive mother, Eddie (Ben Probert), is offered the position of caretaker at an elite academy. He begins to form a close bond with Marie (Mackenzie Larsen), a cleaner at the same academy. As the film progresses it’s clear that something isn’t right on these grounds and Eddie starts to see visions, namely the ghost of a young girl. It fast becomes evident that the Aberdeen family who run the school are not as they seem, hiding many skeletons in their closet. Director Luke Tedder makes some great choices with The Caretaker, opting for calmer paced film that defies genre, twisting between supernatural and mystery, whilst avoiding familiar tropes to deliver a wonderful narrative. There’s time dedicated to build a believable world with well-defined characters. Eddie is the most fascinating character here and holds every scene. Despite being non-verbal he manages to capture your imagination and attention throughout the whole film. You can see how broken he is in the first act with the faraway gaze telling more than any word could carry. This is a heartbreaking performance from Probert as we learn more about Eddie’s trauma and abuse ridden past. The relationship with Marie is wonderful and you can see their chemistry as actors radiates through the screen. This happiness and acceptance are much needed for a character such as Eddie and proves to be an emotional arc to the story. The care and attention to detail in creating a film like this is evident and makes The Caretaker a worthwhile watch.