Blue Lights star's "striking" Irish thriller that 'keeps you off guard' is now streaming on the BBC

An Irish thriller described as "solidly unsettling" is streaming now in full on BBC iPlayer. Starring Blue Lights' Martin McCann and Nocturnal Animals' Andrea Riseborough, Here Before follows a grieving mother who believes her new neighbour's daughter is the reincarnation of her own deceased child.

A synopsis reads: "In Belfast, bereaved parents Laura (Riseborough) and Brendan (Jonjo O'Neill) watch as new neighbours Chris (McCann) and Marie (Eileen and their ten-year-old daughter Megan (Niamh Dornan) move in next door.

"Megan is a delightful and inquisitive child, but Laura is disconcerted when she appears to display knowledge that only Josie, their late daughter, would know. Are things as simple as they seem?"

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Directed by Stacey Gregg, Here Before premiered at SXSW Festival in 2021 and was nominated to compete in the Narrative Feature Category.

It received praise from fans and critics alike, with Riseborough in particular receiving rave reviews for her emotional performance.

Here Before holds an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics' consensus reading: "Resting its slowly twisting tale on a magnetic Andrea Riseborough performance, Here Before is a solidly unsettling effort from debuting writer-director Stacey Gregg."

In their review, The Guardian said: "It is a very accomplished debut from Gregg, and acted with subtlety and sensitivity by Riseborough."

The Playlist echoed a similar sentiment, writing: "Andrea Riseborough, who is somehow still not a giant star, can do just about anything. Still, she's especially good at playing these women who are smiling and smiling and barely keeping it together."

Screen International hailed the film as "striking" while Variety said it will keep viewers "off guard".

Daily Dead thought: "The greatest compliment I can pay Here Before is that Gregg really does a brilliant job of delivering up a wholly unexpected psychological thriller that shocked me once it showed its cards, so to speak."

Here Before is streaming now on BBC iPlayer.

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Freelance Reporter, Digital Spy Rebecca is a freelance journalist who specializes in TV and film. After beginning her career as a digital entertainment journalist for the Express & Star and Shropshire Star, she embarked on a freelance career in 2021 contributing to the likes of Metro UK, The Sun, WhatCulture, Screen Rant, FilmHounds Magazine and more. Her particular field of interest is horror cinema and she has written for genre publications such as Ghouls Magazine and Moving Pictures Film Club. LinkedIn