London, 1921, and in a country recovering from the emotional and physical demands of the First World War, some are turning to séances and spiritualism for solace. Academic and writer Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall) is a determined realist with an unwavering confidence in logic and science, who revels in exposing the supernatural as a lie. Schoolmaster Robert Mallory (Dominic West) tracks Florence down to tell her of incidents at Rockwood, a boys' boarding school in the country, where a child has recently died. This has caused panic amongst parents, while the pupils are driven to distraction by tales of a ghostly presence roaming the hallways. Though naturally cynical, Florence feels compelled to travel to Rockwood, determined to find a reasoned explanation for the troubling events. Yet in an environment populated by characters who are often curious or furtive, Florence starts to uncover more secrets than she bargained for. Referencing classics of the genre from The Innocents to The Others, Nick Murphy's debut feature is a classy haunted-house yarn that boasts a reliably great cast, plenty of surprises and is as deceptively moving as it is chilling.

Michael Hayden