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Whatever you do, do not look at the camera. It is a rule that every actor knows or at least should know. The breaking of the fourth wall as kitschy as it may be for some big hollywood studio films is still held in disregard. PRESENCE, the latest from Steven Soderbergh is not about staring at the camera but instead searching for the camera. A ghost story told through the perspective of a possible, ghost or presence if you will. The film’s main character in search of this possible entity has the camera actively avoiding being seen directly. In what could have been a gimmick film PRESENCE evolves patiently overtime while finding itself in a place even the most of keen of minds could not detect. It is another prime example of a filmmaker who continues to expand his passion over the course of nearly forty years. Soderbergh never sticks to the set out rules and instead gives PRESENCE an out of body experience that leaves you in the need of a hug, but these two worlds of visitor and resident are further apart than it appears.

A house has been sold. And luckily for the new family it was not even on the market yet. For for wife Rebekah (Lucy Liu) and her husband Chris (Chris Sullivan) it means a place to both help out their kids’ success as well as allow Rebekah to focus on her work. Their son Tyler (Eddy Maday) seems to be the the golden child with great swimming success with Tyler defining his worthy based on his newfound popularity. Their daughter Chloe (Callina Liang) however is grieving the death of a close friend from a supposed drug overdose. For Chloe a new home means nothing but a reminder that her life is trying to restart with little success. But all this is told through a wonderful context clues of a script by David Koepp. The dialogue is so natural that the audience practically becomes an intruder. But as this presence watches over this family it becomes clear that the real intruders are the family who seem to not have the same love and care for one another as they do their new property. The house is a gorgeous location (shot in Cranford New Jersey) which becomes its own character as a third person viewpoint cutting in and out in the middle of conversations and scenes. Soderbergh wants us to know this family but just as the being watching them he knows not every family moment is for us.

PRESENCE succeeds best in showing what can be seen as an everyday American family that still feels so specific. It is admirable to some degree also to see the depiction of a mixed Asian family with no egregious stereotyping. Instead each family member plays into their own part which can be familiar but it leaves a level of comfort even when the situations and discussions are far from enjoyable. Tyler’s ego and his mothers work driven attitude blend well together as the two feel almost like bullies two the other two members of the family. Chris Sullivan as the father is a needed hug bring such a sincerity to each member of the family. He loves his wife but fears her aggression, he is embarrassed by his sons cockiness and arrogance but still finds time to show Chloe love and support without it being patronizing. Chloe on the other hand is a lost soul much like the one watching her. Chloe can feel whatever is in the house and while the camera work tends to avoid being spotted there are great moments when it zooms in closer to Chloe because the being itself feels a sense of belonging with her. Not to mention that when danger enters the house in the form of a possibly life threatening classmate, the entity tries its best not to let Chloe fall victim to something that could drastically change her life.

Even with its short runtime PRESENCE packs in a ton while also staying true to it intentions of always keeping a distance. There are plenty we do not see allowing for the performances to truly fill in the gaps and never spoon-feed. Callina Liang is an excellent newcomer who is a natural fit for Soderbergh’s way of depicting mystery. Liang plays Chloe not as some loner nor the everyday girl but rather a fully fleshed out teen who is just trying to not be defined in a family that fits their role to a tee. When she starts sensing something in the house it is her father that basically tells her never let your wings be clipped because while the rest of the family may be jaded something ahs reached out to her and it must be because they see a pain and belief in Chloe that the others can’t. It is a heartwarming moment in an otherwise intense and bleak film. But PRESENCE never wants to be pigeonholed and even when you think the out of body camera work has reached its limits the film finds itself as such a moment of violence that you yourself want to reach out and help which technically you can as you two are this entity watching over everyone. The audience has always been the watcher but PRESENCE may be one of the few films where you yourself participate in its outcome, or at least it feels that way. A film reaching out for aid from every world that by the time the credits roll you are unsure if you helped at all or if you were always the one seeking out solace.

A-

PRESENCE IS NOW PLAYING IN THEATERS EVERYWHERE.