As many of you know, I’m a big film person. I love everything about movies, from the spark of an idea in pre-production to the effects at the box office. Horror, in particular, is my favorite genre. It was also my most-watched in 2024.
One tradition I cherish is going to the movies with my dad. Anytime a trailer for a new horror film comes on, we exchange a knowing glance and a nod — a silent agreement that we’ll be back to see it. That’s exactly what happened with the March release of “The Woman in the Yard.” We didn’t think it was going to be spectacular, but we definitely didn’t expect it to be as deeply problematic as it was.
It wasn’t just the weak storytelling or flat characters that bothered me — it was the message.
“The Woman in the Yard” is a prime example of a troubling trend in both horror and the wider film industry: using mental illness as the villain. It needs to stop.
The “woman” haunting the yard is eventually revealed to be the physical manifestation of the mother, Ramona’s, grief and suicidal ideation. Each morning, Ramona, played by Danielle Deadwyler, wakes up and prays for strength. We later find out that it was not the strength to endure, but to end her life. By the end, this manifestation puts a gun to Ramona’s chin, finger on the trigger. The screen cuts before a shot is heard, but the implication is clear: She’s gone.
Suddenly, everything is “fixed.” Her children are back, the electricity bill is paid and back on, the dog is alive and well and the woman has disappeared. But a close-up on one of Ramona’s paintings reveals that this is not the real world — it’s the “mirror” universe. So the takeaway? “Ramona’s suicide was the best possible outcome and everything is okay now.”
The ending may leave room for interpretation, but let’s be real — not everyone is going to find nuance or optimism in that final scene — and that’s exactly what makes it so dangerous. Yes, depression and grief can manifest in terrifying, unpredictable ways. Yes, it can feel like a monster. But to frame suicide as the solution is genuinely appalling.
Suicide is a topic that demands care, honesty and depth to be portrayed at all. A movie like “The Virgin Suicides” shows the lingering grief it leaves behind, especially among young people. Abbas Kiarostami’s “Taste of Cherry” wrestles with the question of life’s purpose in subtle, quietly beautiful ways. These films don’t sensationalize death, they explore the complexities of being human.
I know that mental health isn’t new a territory for cinema, but lately, it feels like grief and suicide have become trendy plot devices, especially in horror. To use mental illness as a literal villain is not only harmful but honestly lazy.
I urge the industry — plain and simple — to be more original, to tell stories we haven’t heard before and to stop using mental health as the monster.
ajones11@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @MamasGeeky, X
