Sandwiched between the big summer spectacles and the traditional horror of fall is The Little Stranger, a small, haunting mystery that favors a moody atmosphere and harkens back to classic ghost stories. Set in 1948, it tells the story of Dr. Faraday (Domhnall Gleeson), a country doctor called to see a patient at the sprawling estate where his mother once worked as a housemaid during his childhood. Instead of the lavish mansion he remembered, he finds the house in a state of decay and its inhabitants, the Ayres family, haunted by something more frightening than their dying way of life.

Director Lenny Abrahamson’s first follow up feature since his award-winning film Room is a melancholic mystery saturated in a dark, dreary color palette. Adapted for screen by Lucinda Coxon from a novel by Sarah Waters, The Little Stranger bides its sweet time revealing the secrets of the Ayres family and their home at Hundreds Hall. Early flashback sequences reveal Dr. Faraday’s first visit to Hundreds Hall, a large picnic event with a large, bustling crew of domestic servants and a thriving, happy Ayres family. That was decades ago, though, and all that’s left of the Ayres family now is matriarch Mrs. Ayres (Charlotte Rampling), Roderick (Will Poulter), Caroline (Ruth Wilson), and adolescent housemaid Betty (Liv Hill) in a crumbling mansion.

Poulter is unrecognizable as the man of the house; a former soldier who nearly lost his life and now spends his days drinking excessively to mask the physical and mental pain from war. His body is mostly a mass of grisly scar tissue that’s left him with limited mobility. It’s Roderick and young Betty that report something is off with the house, but both are unreliable enough to propel the mystery into ambiguity. There are strange occurrences, few and far between, that indicate that something is amiss, and it’s often countered with the levelheadedness of Caroline and Dr. Faraday. Abrahamson stretches out the narrative with a consistent tug-and-pull between science and supernatural, never firmly stepping into either until much deeper into the story.

Those looking for more traditional haunted house fare will find themselves frustrated here. Abrahamson keeps the supernatural horror elements understated in favor a slow unraveling psychological nightmare. Emphasis on slow. The secrets of Hundreds Hall fades to the background as the relationship of Caroline and Faraday emerges as the focal point. It’s an interesting dynamic, especially during the final act of the film, but it’s drawn out far too long and the pacing suffers in the middle. There’s not a weak link among the stellar cast, but it’s also a shame that Poulter’s character isn’t more prominent. He’s quickly becoming a chameleon with a vast acting range, and I look forward to seeing more from him. It’s not Roderick’s tale, though, but Caroline and Faraday’s.

There are moments of stark, unexpected violence, and chilling moments that hint at the ghosts within, but mostly The Little Stranger is a horror mystery that revels in its ambiguity. Abrahamson spends most of the runtime methodically misdirecting until you’re chilled by the realization of the story’s true black heart. The film could’ve benefitted from a little trimming, as the near two hour run time feels overlong and lessens the impact of the finale, and the drab color aesthetic can be a bit too dark in scenes. For those that prefer easy answers and overt horror will be let down, but those that want something that takes the familiar trappings of a classic ghost story and weaves it into something different will find themselves haunted by The Little Stranger.