Film Review: ‘Lucid’

Lucid is a mind-bending psychological horror that artfully combines the surreal with the everyday struggles of arts students into a dream-like film. Like almost any artist around the globe, Mia Sunshine Jones struggles with a bad case of creative block. To mediate this, she takes a dreaming elixir, which results in her confronting her past traumas as demons come to life. Although set in the 1990s, this film tackles traumas and challenges that are timeless.

Directed by Deanna Milligan and Ramsey Fendall, and starring Caitlin Acken Taylor as Mia, it is sure to become a quintessential Canadian arthouse film. Originally, Lucid released as a short film in 2021 written and directed by Milligan. Five years later, Lucid has become a fully fleshed-out production.

The film, shot on 35 millimetre and Super 8, adds to the dreamy, surreal feeling of the plot. The trippiest scenes take advantage of a double-exposure effect, allowing the viewer to experience the events through Mia’s eyes. As the film continues, it becomes harder and harder to distinguish between reality and the dreamworld. These instances showcase how aptly named the film really is.

Although Lucid explores heavy topics of trauma in Mia’s life, the depth of the exploration is quite surface-level. There is no realization or growth experienced by Mia after she confronts her past, other than the ability to get past her artist’s block. However, this does allow for a larger audience to find relatability within the film.

Where Lucid really shines is in the cinematography and artistic elements used throughout. Mia’s disastrous bedroom both reflects the chaotic nature of her art and the inner state of her mind. The film takes on a dark, dreary atmosphere which heavily contrasts the handful of light, airy, almost magical scenes of Mia’s memories. These scenes often include her mother or grandmother, adding to the magical “lucid” nature of the film.

Taylor’s performance as Mia is so well done that it’s hard to tell where the actor ends and the character begins. Her acting skills leave nothing to be desired, even though Taylor has only had a small handful of roles. My only wish is that after reading this review, you’ll decide to watch Lucid for yourself.

Lucid only screened in select theatres and is not yet available on streaming platforms or for purchase. However, Filmoption International has boarded Lucid as its Canadian distributor and will be handling world sales of the film. It’s my hope that it will be available to watch again as words cannot describe the artistic prowess of Lucid.