Carrie Coon's "gripping" thriller with Lily James and Bella Ramsey gets first trailer

A thriller starring Carrie Coon as a woman who's sucked into a cult led by a magnetic character portrayed by Lily James has just released a first, disturbing trailer.

Premiered at Telluride Film Festival earlier this year and screened last month at BFI London Film Festival, The Liberation follows Coon's Rita Cooper, a Holocaust survivor in 1980s New Jersey who's lured into Harmonia, a commune cult guided by Ricki King (James).

Directed by Guy Nattiv, the thriller hints at Ricki sensing and exploiting Rita's trauma as the two women grow increasingly close.

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In a chilling scene, Rita finally renounces her family, much to the dismay of her husband Reuben (Coon's real-life husband Tracy Letts) and daughters Jo and Ella, played by Odessa Young and Bella Ramsey, respectively. As Jo and Ella try and help their mum see reason and rejoin them, they also find inexplicably drawn to Ricki and Harmonia.

The Liberation is expected to release this winter in the United States, while we might have to wait a little longer to enjoy Coon's award-worthy performance this side of the pond. A UK release date hasn't been confirmed just yet, but we might be looking at the end of the year or early next year.

Critics who have already watched the movie, which is inspired by a true story, have given it mostly positive reviews.

On Rotten Tomatoes, The Liberation is currently at an 83% rating, with critics consistently praising Coon's turn as Rita, but pointing out that it lacks an in-depth exploration of the cult dynamics.

Related: UK film release dates

The Jam Report argued that Coon elevates the movie in their review: "Whenever Coon occupies the screen, the film possesses a gripping emotional immediacy. Unfortunately, the increasingly familiar storytelling around her rarely demonstrates the same sophistication."

Elsewhere, IndieWire noted that Coon's "talent and focus" carry the thriller, also sharing praise for Ramsey as Ella, calling the performance "some of [their] best yet, and really worth rooting for".

Variety also celebrated Coon as well as James in what they labelled "a well-paced, gripping psychological thriller" whose "womanly themes [...] ring urgently true".

The Liberation will be released in US cinemas this winter. A UK release date is to be announced.

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Reporter, Digital Spy

Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy. 

Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).