Things Heard & Seen (2021)

Things Heard & Seen is a 2021 American horror thriller film written and directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, based on the novel All Things Cease to Appear by Elizabeth Brundage^[1]. It stars Amanda Seyfried and James Norton. It was digitally released on April 29, 2021, by Netflix, and received mixed reviews from critics.

A number of landscape paintings from the Hudson River School feature prominently throughout the movie.

In 1980, Catherine Clare, an art restorer lives in Manhattan with her husband George and daughter Franny. When George lands a job teaching art history at a college, the family moves into a large farm house in Chosen, New York.

Catherine feels isolated in the house. She finds a Bible tracking the deaths of the previous owners, and sees names scratched out, marked “Damned”. She sees strange lights leading her to an antique ring, which she begins wearing. Franny feels a ghostly presence and insists on sleeping in her parents' room. Catherine employs brothers Eddie and Cole Lucks as farm hands, while George starts an affair with Willis, a female student.

George's colleague Justine Sokolov invites him and Catherine to dinner. She and Catherine become friends. On the way back home, George acts erratically, leading to him and Catherine fighting. George invites Floyd DeBeers, the department head, home. Floyd also feels the presence of a soul. He assures Catherine that the spirit is benevolent and offers to hold a seance.

George and Catherine throw a party and invite neighbors and George's colleagues. During the party, Catherine finds out the previous owners were Eddie and Cole's parents, and that their father killed their mother, Ella and himself. Later, Catherine confronts George about the house's origins. As they argue, a radio begins playing, only stopping when George destroys it. Catherine asks George to take Franny to his parents' house.

While George is gone, Catherine and Floyd hold a seance. They see the ghost of Ella. Floyd tells Catherine there is another spirit in the house, and that Catherine should be careful until it is revealed. George begins hearing voices from the other spirit. Catherine discovers George's affair, and starts one with Eddie. Catherine learns paintings George claimed were his work were painted by his cousin, who drowned in a boating accident. On a class trip, Justine overhears a conversation between George and his dissertation advisor, who asks how he was hired without a recommendation letter. The next day, Floyd confronts George, who admits to it and schedules a meeting to explain the situation.

On a boat ride, George unsuccessfully dissuades Floyd from reporting him. George returns completely soaked. Justine confronts him about his affair. As Justine drives away, George follows her and runs her off the road, putting her in a coma. Later, Catherine learns of Floyd's death and Justine's accident. In his class, George notices an image he did not set up projected on the slide, angering him. It is the cover from Floyd’s book.

Catherine prepares to leave with Franny but George puts sedative in Catherine's drink. George finds out about her plan and a fight ensues. Catherine becomes unconscious and George murders her with an axe. George goes to work, and instructs Cole not to disturb Catherine, claiming she is ill. George returns home, where he pretends to discover her body. The police suspect George, but have no proof and release him. He takes Franny to his parents' home in Connecticut.

Catherine's soul joins forces with Ella's. They awaken Justine and show her everything that George did. Justine speaks to the police. George tries to escape on his deceased cousin’s boat. A storm arrives, intensifies, and a hole opens in the ocean, swallowing George as it replicates a painting seen throughout the movie.