Raging Grace opens with beleaguered single mother Joy (Max Eigenmann) doing morning chores while her rambunctious daughter Grace (Jaeden Paige Boadilla) runs around causing havoc. Grace likes to create chaos through pranking, which sometimes goes too far, but we soon discover that her target is not her mother as this is not their house. Unhoused and undocumented, Joy jumps from house to house of the rich clients she cleans for, squatting while they are out of town. But then an offer for a permanent position that could solve all her problems comes in the form of looking over comatose Mr. Garrett (David Hayman) at the behest of the eccentric Katherine (Leanne Best), his niece, or so she says.

Drawing comparisons to Oscar Winner Parsasite, with its focus on the staff in a large, mysterious house, Raging Grace starts building in a similar direction in tone until the midway point of the film where everything we already know gets turned on its head. It’s an effective spin that really charges the final half of the film and drives the story in an entirely different direction that grows increasingly more dangerous for Grace and Joy. Writer/Director Paris Zarcilla does an excellent job creating and guiding the audience through the film. There’s no wonder why this was an award winner at South by Southwest where it debuted earlier this year.

Anchored by stellar performances by all 4 leads, kudos go to Hayman for a performance that is as equally endearing in parts as it is menacing and disturbing in others and to Eigenmann who carries most of the film directly on her back. Raging Grace is an extremely effective and engaging film that delivers both dramatically and suspensefully. I look forward to more from Zarcilla in the future.