The Rule of Jenny Pen

Synopsis

Stefan Mortensen (Geoffrey Rush), an elderly judge, moves into a retirement home after a near-fatal stroke leaves him partially paralyzed. There, Mortensen clashes with another resident, the slightly off-kilter Dave Crealy (John Lithgow), who secretly terrorizes the residents with a sadistic, doll-based game called “The Rule of Jenny Pen.” Although it’s supposed to be used for dementia therapy, in Crealy’s hand the puppet is an instrument of torture. As Crealy’s actions escalate, Mortensen must struggle against his own aging body and mind to put an end to Crealy’s reign of terror.

In one of the most unexpected performances of the year, Oscar-nominated actor John Lithgow (also in this year’s Conclave) delivers a marvelously menacing performance as the perverse Crealy, while Oscar-winner Rush (Shine) is a formidable match. Full of creepily twisted and originally unsetting set pieces, The Rule of Jenny Pen doesn’t just tap into the universal fear of death, but also the perils of getting old.