Skeletons In The Closet – Movie Review and Summary

“Skeletons In The Closet” may make you curious, thanks to the inclusion of Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr., but it lacks anything to justify your initial interest.

Title Card - Skeletons In The Closet

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Director(s)

Asif Akbar

Screenplay By

Koji Steven Sakai, Joshua A. Cohen

Based On Work By

Asif Akbar

Date Released (Shudder)

February 9, 2024

Genre(s)

Fantasy

Horror

Film Length

1 Hour 31 Minutes

Content Rating

Rated TV-MA

Noted Characters

Mark

Terrence Howard

Valentina

Valery M. Ortiz

Andres

Cuba Gooding Jr.

Jenny

Appy Pratt

Plot Summary

Unfortunately for Mark and Valentina, their daughter, Jenny, is no longer in remission, and her cancer is back and has spread to her brain. To make matters worse, Mark just lost his job, and his brother, Andres, just got out. Desperate as he is, Mark makes a deal with an associate of Andres that only further complicates his life.

However, Andres also has a connection to someone in tune with the spirit world, so with Mark and Valentina desperate, they make deals that have high costs to save their daughter.

Content Information

  • Dialog: Cursing
  • Violence: Blood, Self-Harm
  • Sexual Content: Nothing Notable
  • Miscellaneous: Depiction of Corpses, Body Horror, Drinking, Depiction of the Occult

Character Descriptions

Please Note: This character guide is not an exhaustive list of every cast member, and character descriptions may contain what can be considered spoilers.

Mark (Terrence Howard)

Mark (Terrence Howard) talking to his wife
“Mark (Terrence Howard) talking to his wife,” Skeletons In The Closet, directed by Asif Akbar, 2024, (Shudder)

Recently fired, Mark wants to be a good father to his daughter and still be seen as a hero.

  • The actor is also known for their role in “The Butler.”

Valentina (Valery M. Ortiz)

Valentina (Valey M. Ortiz) startled by something she saw
“Valentina (Valey M. Ortiz) startled by something she saw,” Skeletons In The Closet, directed by Asif Akbar, 2024, (Shudder)

Valentina is Mark’s wife, who has a traumatic past dating all the way back to her childhood, which leads to her seeing and experiencing some disturbing images.

Andres (Cuba Gooding Jr.)

Andres (Cuba Gooding Jr.) flirting with the bartender
“Andres (Cuba Gooding Jr.) flirting with the bartender,” Skeletons In The Closet, directed by Asif Akbar, 2024, (Shudder)

Andres is Mark’s brother who recently got out of prison and is trying to help Mark, but is only making things worse.

Jenny (Appy Pratt)

Jenny (Appy Pratt) learning her fish died
“Jenny (Appy Pratt) learning her fish died,” Skeletons In The Closet, directed by Asif Akbar, 2024, (Shudder)

Jenny is Mark and Valentina’s daughter, who was in remission, but her cancer has come back, and the timing couldn’t have been worse for her family.

Review

Low Points

After A Certain Point, You Stop Caring No Matter How It Ups The Occult Aspect

One of the main issues of “Skeletons In The Closet” is that it lacks creating a bond with the characters for you to get invested. Unfortunately, we get a cute kid and actors with familiar faces, but nothing that makes you specifically care about the story and characters of the world they are in.

Which may lead you to believe that maybe the villain could compensate? We are dealing with the occult, and there are demonic beings in the film, but between B-movie visual effects and said occult entities not having the backstory or presence worth taking note of, ultimately, it seems “Skeletons in the Closet” is all about name recognition and not substance. Never mind even giving some form of fear factor.

Recommendations

Good If You Like

  • Movies with parents desperate to do anything for their kids, including making deals with some form of evil

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