The twisted romantic thriller that’s been setting Google search trends on fire and causing a stir on Netflix is yet another paint-by-numbers story, but one that has audiences hooked.
The 2023 psychological thriller Locked In, directed by Nour Wazzi and written by Rowan Joffé, has gained notoriety for its truly twisted premise that has a dash of Twilight-esque incest between adopted siblings thrown in there.
The film’s premise is indeed intriguing, revolving around an unhappy newlywed, Lina, who finds herself in a tumultuous battle with her mother-in-law, Katherine, who also happens to be her adoptive mother. All the while, Lina is burdened with caring for her ailing husband, Jamie, who is also her adoptive stepbrother.
These familial relationships may be familiar territory for Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon fans, but they are indeed complex, to say the least.
What is Netflix’s psychological thriller Locked In about?
Katherine, a former Hollywood actor, starts the story in a hospital bed, her body immobilised by locked-in syndrome, leaving her only able to move her eyes.
As the story unfolds through Katherine’s communications with her nurse, Nicky, we discover that Katherine believes there’s been a murder. Through flashbacks, we are treated to snapshots of Katherine’s life, starting when she adopts her late best friend’s daughter, Lina. Lina forms a close bond with Katherine’s stepson, Jamie, and the two eventually get married.
As the relationship between Lina and Katherine deteriorates, Lina grows close to Jamie’s doctor, Robert. At this point, tragedies begin to befall Katherine’s family, and the film unravels a twisted web of secrets and deceit.
The film, released on Netflix on November 1st, boasts a cast that includes familiar faces such as Famke Janssen as Katherine, a former actor who ends up in a gruesome accident, Rose Williams as Lina, Katherine’s adoptive daughter, Finn Cole as Jamie, Katherine’s chronically ill stepson, Alex Hassell as Dr. Robert Lawrence, Jamie’s physician, and Anna Friel as Nicky Mackenzie, Katherine’s nurse.
Despite its formulaic storytelling and lacklustre acting, Locked In has been able to attract viewers. Perhaps it’s the pull of mindless thrills or the desire to untangle the web of family drama and secrets that keeps audiences tuned in. So, if you, too, are in the mood for some cheap, mindless thrills, Locked In might be the escape you’re looking for on Netflix.
You can check out the trailer for Netflix’s Locked In here:
