Being a teenager is tough. Having to find your place in life is one thing, but navigating through the mess of emotions, awkward experiences and tragedies is something that everyone goes through when they hit that age. It also sucks when you end up inheriting other people’s tragedies. With his directorial debut, Sonny Mallhi’s Anguish delves into the possession subgenre. But unlike some of the “me-too” films before it, Anguish uses its tragedy (and the subsequent scares) to set it apart from other films.

After an argument while driving with her mother, Sarah (Karina Logue), Lucy (Amberley Gridley) abruptly storms out of the car and is immediately hit by a truck and killed. Some time later, Tess (Ryan Simpkins) arrives in town with her mother, Jessica (Annika Marks). Tess has had the burden of living with emotional issues since she was five, and this move is intended for a fresh start, with a chance of normality in her life. Unfortunately, Tess soon begins experiencing hallucinations, some involving Lucy’s restless spirit wanting to continue her life in place of Tess.

A veteran of producing horror (most notably The Strangers and At The Devil’s Door, Mallhi brings the same sense of unsettling atmosphere and mood to Anguish. There are some excellent moments of quiet that slowly rise in tension (with help from the subtle ambient score and some great scene composition) as the viewer’s mind starts to go to work drumming up when the scare happens (such as when Tess first happens upon Lucy’s memorial). The quick jabs of jump scares help maintain the tension and draw the viewer in further. This isn’t a “big bang” type of possession film (which is nice to see), and instead is one that slowly creeps up and plays with you, while also drawing out feelings of sympathy for the characters, their past and their current predicaments. It’s definitely a welcome departure.

The real strength of the film, however, lies in its cast. Most notably, Ryan Simpkins turns in a wonderful performance as Tess. Simpkins nails the character, right down to her appearance. There’s just something about Simpkins’ face peering through her messy blonde hair that garners instant likability and sympathy. It also helps that she’s an actual teenager, too. Balancing a withdrawn nature with curiosity, Simpkins gives Tess a natural authenticity, whether it’s scenes of her riding around town on her skateboard, to sitting by the lake. When things turn dark, Simpkins is able bring the fear that’s required of the scene in an equally-convincing fashion. Complementing Simpkins’ performance is Annika Marks as Tess’s concerned mother. Again, there’s a great feeling of authenticity to this role that Marks captures perfectly. Karina Logue also gives a noteworthy performance as Lucy’s mother, which again plays into the film’s overarching theme of grief.

As far as missteps, one could argue that Mallhi relies on a few too many jump scares at the start of the film. Also, tagging on the “inspired by true events” card at the end of the film cheapens the experience, much like other possession films have done to insert a cheap “is it or isn’t it” feeling into the viewers’ heads. It comes off as being desperate and lame. Anguish is definitely strong enough to stand on its own without resorting to this cheap tactic, so why throw it in there?

Anguish is a pleasant surprise to close out this year, despite having previously been making the rounds at festivals up until now. Mallhi crafts a very unsettling atmosphere from behind the camera, and with strong performances by his leads (especially Simpkins), not only makes for a standout indie film, but also a standout in the possession subgenre. There’s certainly more to this film than ghosts, however, as the theme of grief features prominently, and makes the film all the more compelling. Definitely one to see.