Bed Rest (2022) Review – A Predictable and Paint-By-Numbers Haunted House Horror
Bed Rest: Quick Verdict
The Verdict: A textbook example of “safe” Hollywood horror that prioritises established tropes over genuine innovation. Bed Rest succeeds as a polished, well-acted piece of supernatural entertainment, largely thanks to a committed performance by Melissa Barrera, but it fails to provide anything a seasoned horror fan hasn’t seen a hundred times before. The central premise of a bed-bound protagonist offers a fleeting hope of a high-tension, claustrophobic thriller, but the script frequently abandons its own logic to facilitate cheap jump scares. While the production values are high and the cinematography is sharp, the film is hindered by an immature script that handles heavy themes of grief with the subtlety of a soap opera. It is a 2.5 star experience that is perfectly watchable for a lazy Sunday, but it remains a remarkably unremarkable entry into the haunted house sub-genre. If you are looking for a groundbreaking ghost story, keep looking; if you want undemanding background noise, this will do just fine.
Details: Director: Lori Evans Taylor | Cast: Melissa Barrera, Guy Burnet, Edie Inksetter | Runtime: 1h 30m | Release Date: 7 December 2022
Best for: Casual horror fans who enjoy polished supernatural thrillers and viewers who are happy to overlook plot holes for a standard “haunted house” fix.
Worth noting: Melissa Barrera also served as a producer on the film, marking one of her early ventures into production alongside her rising status as a modern “Scream Queen.”
Where to Watch: Tubi (Free), Amazon Prime Video
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
(Polished production and solid acting, but let down by a total lack of originality and a predictable script.)
Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are reviewing Tubi horror Bed Rest from 2022.
Highlights
Another by the numbers horror
Bed Rest is, honestly, the perfect example of “by the numbers” horror. It is a movie that takes no risks, never leaves the beaten track and brings nothing new to the genre. It feels like the expected result of years of Hollywood ghost story horror. Entirely familiar and completely unremarkable.
Focusing on the story of Julie (Melissa Barrera), Bed Rest sees our heavily pregnant heroine forced to spend the last stages of her pregnancy confined to a bed. Julie has suffered a partial placental abruption, the treatment for which revolves around staying chill and not getting too excited. The problem is, Julie’s house resembles something from a fairground, with spooks and bumps in the night being an almost guaranteed daily event. How will she stay calm and make it to the full term of her pregnancy? And what mysteries will she uncover about the house?
A somewhat unique hook
The only thing that is somewhat unique about Bed Rest is the central theme itself. Although many horror movies revolve around pregnant protagonists. A few of which you can check out in this list we put together. Few feature our pregnant character trapped in one location, forced to spend every moment of her day in bed.
“The implementation feels a bit silly. The fact that Julie is instructed to never leave her bed and is only allowed a mere ten minutes to bathe feels rather far-fetched. It is a shaky premise to build a horror movie on.”
The way this is implemented, in all honesty, feels a bit silly. Bed rest is a contentious issue in modern medical practice. It is thought that few conditions improve when remaining sedentary. The risks of blood clots, especially during pregnancy, make the prospect an even more dangerous one. The fact that Julie is instructed to never leave her bed and is only allowed a mere ten minutes to bathe feels rather far-fetched. It is a shaky premise to build a horror movie on.
This really impacts the tension as Julie repeatedly finds reasons to get out of bed. She does a very poor job of managing her condition, leaving every scare or every moment of horror to feel manufactured and inorganic. Bed Rest traps itself in a pattern of predictability; Julie only gets out of bed when a scare is coming up. If she is in bed, very little of note happens. It quickly becomes repetitive and rather stale.
You’ve seen it all before
Everything else about Bed Rest is a paint-by-numbers copy of every haunted house horror movie you have ever seen. There are mysterious noises in the night, things seen from the corners of eyes, a strange spirit with a seeming link to the protagonist.
“If it wasn’t for Julie being horizontal for much of the movie, I doubt anyone would be able to tell Bed Rest from any other similar paranormal horror film. The déjà vu with this one is never-ending.”
The déjà vu with this one is never-ending. If it wasn’t for Julie being horizontal for much of the movie, I doubt anyone would be able to tell Bed Rest from any other similar paranormal horror film.
Scares are, generally, ineffective. A spirit child appears randomly throughout, reminding the viewer how overused the “ghost of dead child” plot element is in horror nowadays. The people around Julie refuse to believe her. The situation grows more concerning, hinting at something more malevolent and a few red herrings are thrown our way to try and throw us off the scent. It’s all been done before but much better.
Predictable reactions and immature writing
Even Julie’s reactions to the events are predictable. She moves from fear to curiosity in exactly the manner you might expect. Before finally resolving to uncover the mystery, seemingly absent of any trepidation or concern for her unborn child. The story does have some degree of depth to it. There are some revelations that offer a slight reason to invest. Overall however, there is very little to sink your teeth into.
Julie’s relationship with her husband is fraught with trauma from something that happened in the past. Something which Julie takes out on everyone around her. Now, the topics at hand here are extremely serious. They absolutely need to be talked about and are significant. But Julie constantly punishes her husband for his specific way of dealing with the issue, something which presents a very one-sided view of grief and loss.
The immature writing here doesn’t offer the subject the attention it deserves. The result is glib dialogue and awkward scenes filled with arguing and soap-opera-like tension. In the hands of a better writer, the subject could have been handled with more nuance.
Acting is decent, direction is okay
Acting, throughout, is pretty decent. Melissa Barrera, as Julie, does a good enough job working with the rather milquetoast script. The plot doesn’t offer her much opportunity for nuanced performance but she does alright with what she has to work with. She manages to be convincing in both her fear and her mama bear resolve.
Guy Burnet, as her husband Daniel, is okay. Despite doing his best Ricky Gervais impression for most of the film, his character is somewhat underdeveloped. He serves mainly as comic relief and for story exposition. He does okay with what he has though, again, the script isn’t exactly fantastic.
“Melissa Barrera does a good enough job working with the rather milquetoast script. She manages to be convincing in both her fear and her mama bear resolve.”
Some of the side characters offer some rather painful line delivery. Erik Athavale, as Dr. Meadows, is particularly guilty of this. This seems to be more as a result of the script, though. I really enjoyed Edie Inksetter’s performance as Julie’s carer Delmy. She is very likable and her character brings some extra intrigue to the plot. All in all, the cast of Bed Rest does a nice job.
Cinematography is really good. This is a genuinely nice-looking movie. Lighting is great and scenes are nicely set up. The house really isn’t at all scary, though. This isn’t a large, spooky, haunted house; it is a fairly modern looking place that is bright and airy. A big misstep in my opinion as it majorly impacts the scare factor. Direction is okay. Taylor’s tendency to repeat the same setup for each scare is a big problem, making the movie completely predictable. The movie overstays its welcome by about ten minutes as well. It feels like it is spinning its wheels by the one-hour mark.
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
The Good
- Melissa Barrera: Carries the film with a strong, grounded performance that elevates the mediocre material and makes the protagonist easy to root for.
- High Production Value: The film looks great, with professional cinematography and lighting that avoids the “muddy” look of many budget streaming horrors.
- Edie Inksetter: Provides a charming and likable supporting performance as the carer, Delmy, adding a much-needed layer of warmth to the story.
The Bad
- Extreme Predictability: The film relies so heavily on “scare formulas” that you can predict exactly when and where a ghost will appear minutes in advance.
- Premise Logic: The central concept of “strict bed rest” is medically questionable and frequently ignored by the character whenever the plot requires a chase.
- Generic Atmosphere: The modern, airy house lacks the character or dread needed to make a haunting feel genuinely threatening.
The Ugly: The Ending. A conclusion so drenched in cheesy sentimentality and convenient resolutions that it threatens to undo the few moments of effective tension the film managed to build.
Should You Watch Bed Rest?
Yes, if you want something “easy” that won’t challenge your brain. It is a 2.5 star film that is competent but creatively hollow. If you’ve seen one modern haunted house movie, you’ve essentially seen Bed Rest. It is a harmless time-killer for fans of the genre, but it won’t be joining the ranks of horror classics any time soon. Just don’t expect to be surprised.
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