“Crazy Old Lady” is a Spanish-language film that follows Pedro, who is asked to temporarily take care of his ex-girlfriend’s elderly mother.

It’s not directly horror at the start, but “Crazy Old Lady” is immediately gripping. Getting old is scary in itself. With fading memories and unpredictable outbursts, it’s even scarier to see those you love facing dementia and other impairments.

But here, there is a mask behind it.

A Slow-Building Dread

The opening scene is purely dialogue-based, but it perfectly encapsulates these feelings of trauma, isolation and desperation. Add in darkness and a thunderstorm, and it sets the stage for the horrors that follow.

“Crazy Old Lady” is very upfront in its moments of horror. There are no quick cuts – it shows them wholly. Because of this, they largely fly by in an instant. While tension gradually builds throughout the entire movie, these terrifying moments work because they come so unexpectedly.

While many movies “bluff” with their threats, “Crazy Old Lady” actually delivers the scares.

And the film is genuinely scary. As Pedro is forced to play along with a story that isn’t really true, fantasy and reality begin to blur. The way that “Crazy Old Lady” explores trauma and regret is fascinating, with a “pretend-to-survive” mantra that hammers home the power struggle within.

Atmosphere and Performances

The film’s technical achievements allow it to rise above average.

There are many background noises within “Crazy Old Lady” – rain, floorboard creaks, thunder and more. There are also many laughs and screams. Mixed with Pedro Osuna’s score, this becomes a riveting experience for the ears.

Cinematographer Julian Apezteguia makes the most of the dark and gloomy environment. Despite tight corridors, he injects style through different lighting sources and shooting techniques. Despite remaining mainly still, “Crazy Old Lady” still manages to feel like it’s moving in many different directions.

Carmen Maura (Alicia) is also responsible for much of the movie’s effectiveness. She is timid yet eccentric, charming yet terrifying. She brings the character to life with a constantly shifting delivery that matches Alicia’s fading memory.

Daniel Hendler (Pedro) succeeds as well. His role is fairly simple, and he plays it well. Constantly desperate and frightened, Hendler’s facial expressions do a lot of heavy lifting.

A Story Stretched Thin

Mostly trapped inside one location, however, “Crazy Old Lady” can grow tiring. Especially when it unnecessarily attempts to escape those confines.

Even with a 94-minute runtime, the film still has elements of fluff to round out its feature-length status. Especially with the addition of brief fantasy-like tales, it sometimes attempts to explain more than necessary – drowning out the horrors of the basic narrative in the process.

Alongside this, there isn’t much story left to tell at a certain point. After cementing its message, “Crazy Old Lady” keeps going. Director Martín Mauregui attempts to raise the horror stakes in the final act. This causes the film to become slightly generic in the process.

“Crazy Old Lady” shows the horrors of age. It’s not a traditional genre entry, but terrors still lie within thanks to the strong atmosphere and impressive performances.

Rating: 3 out of 5