Presence: Family Drama, Supernatural Style

Chris Sullivan and Lucy Liu

Have you ever felt like there was an otherworldly spirit in your home? That's what happens to the Payne family in director Steven Soderbergh's compelling 2024 film Presence. Husband and wife Chris and Rebekah, and siblings Tyler and Chloe move into a new home after Chloe suffers the loss of a close friend from a drug overdose. Chris and Rebekah feel like the family needs a change, and hope a different location and neighborhood will provide them with a fresh start. But from the beginning, there's a ghostly presence in the house, which adds to the family's stress level. This spirit reveals itself several times, and its interest seems to be centered on Chloe.

While Chris and Rebekah deal with the cracks that have developed in their marriage, Tyler's new friend Ryan insinuates himself with both Tyler and Chloe. Ryan's something of a bad influence on Tyler, but he displays a more low-key, understanding side with Chloe....or does he? When Chris and Rebekah leave for a business trip, Ryan visits and parties with Tyler. He also appears to have sinister designs on Chloe. Can the mysterious supernatural force that's present in the house protect Chloe from danger?

Presence is a captivating film that's as much a powerful family drama as it is a ghost story. In fact, while much of the advertising for the movie played up its horror elements, it's the story of the Payne family, and their issues, that really drive the narrative. Chris Sullivan (who's perhaps best known for his role as Toby on the NBC series This Is Us) gives a superb, nuanced performance as Chris, the head of the Payne family, who's struggling with issues as both a husband and father. Lucy Liu as Rebekah, Callina Lang as Chloe, Eddy Maday as Tyler and West Mulholland as Ryan are all excellent in their roles as well.

What sets Presence apart is that the story is told from the perspective of the ghost, as it observes and interacts with the Payne family. Director Steven Soderbergh served as the cinematographer for the film, and he's credited under the pseudonym Peter Andrews. The movie features clever visuals, creative POV shots and longer scenic takes. Soderbergh and his camera are essentially a character in the story. He also edited the film, using another pseudonym, Mary Ann Bernard. The screenplay for Presence was written by David Koepp, who's penned the scripts for movies like Jurassic Park and Carlito's Way, based on an idea by Soderbergh.

Presence is a captivating film that's part family drama, part thriller and part ghost story. The family drama aspects of the story are emotional and powerful, and the thriller and horror components of the movie are gripping and spine-chilling. It's a unique tale that's worth seeing, even if you're not normally a horror film enthusiast. Soderbergh continues to experiment with different genres and styles in his work, as he has with other recent projects like 2022's action-oriented thriller Kimi and 2025's spy drama Black Bag. Presence is now available on Blu-ray and DVD, and is currently streaming on Hulu. Here's a look at the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfSNmYhV8Xc.