It’s Austria, circa 1750, and we open on a woman, devoid of emotion, as she quietly and chillingly casts her newborn over the side of a waterfall. This is how the creepy “The Devil’s Bath” begins.

Make it through such a scene, and the idea that Robert Eggers or Ari Aster-esque folk horror is to follow might start to take root. This is not the case; the occasional jump scare and disturbing imagery notwithstanding, “The Devil’s Bath” sits far more comfortably as a psychodrama analyzing a newlywed’s place in society when bearing children becomes impossible and an escape from the role her family views as nothing short of inevitable leads down a truly upsetting path.

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The 20 Best Breakthrough Directors Of 2015

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On The Rise 2015: 20 Directors To Watch

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Karlovy Vary Review: Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala's Stylishly Sick 'Goodnight Mommy'

Continue reading Karlovy Vary Review: Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala’s Stylishly Sick ‘Goodnight Mommy’ at The Playlist.