The Reading Review: Psychics & Psychos

Terror takes a whole new turn in Courtney Glaude’s film, The Reading. This new thriller takes you on a ride of twists and turns, produced by Lee Daniels, starring Mo'Nique who plays her role all too well in this movie. The premise follows Emma (Mo’Nique) who wrote a book called “Invasion” to help her cope and heal from losing her family in a deadly home invasion. In order to gain good press, she agrees to a staged reading by a young woman named Sky (Chasity Sereal), a psychic. Once the reading proceeds, truths are revealed and the real terror starts.

The movie opens with Emma Leeden who is portrayed as a loving wife and mother with a wonderful picture perfect family. As she cooks dinner for them we see masked assailants in all black quietly enter the home unnoticed, as each one goes to a separate room each family member is in. Once Emma is attacked first, her husband and two children are also attacked and killed. She is beaten badly and ends up with her finger cut off. A pretty cold opening that left me uncomfortable with my jaw dropped to the floor.

We cut to meeting four college students, Sky Brown, her boyfriend Gregory (Ian Haywood), and their friends Jessie (Denisha Hardeman) and Randy (Mcauley Teters), who hustle psychic readings by Sky to earn money. We learn Sky is struggling financially to afford school, and also wants to help financially at home but her mother tells her not to, much to Sky’s dismay. After the current reading she has, she feels uneasy and scared from the supernatural presence only she can see that tries to touch her. Her boyfriend calls a meeting with everyone about a new gig with Emma, who is also offering them a large amount of money that everyone can split. He shares her story about the home invasion, and although they are jarred by the details, no one opposes this besides Sky. She confesses she feels scared and doesn’t want to proceed, but later on she reconsiders knowing the money will help her situation.

When they arrive at Emma's they are greeted by Emma’s sister-in-law, Ashley, who is also her PR agent, and Sky gets a feel of the environment before proceeding with her session. Once she starts, odd things begin to startle Emma, Sky makes a startling discovery, and the terror starts once they’re locked in the house fighting for survival.

The Reading is definitely not a typical horror film, although some horrific things do occur, but it is definitely more suspenseful and honestly really laughable. The range Mo’Nique goes to throughout the movie is pretty good, and some scenes where we fear for the characters are a little more comedic at times. I would definitely recommend watching and giving it a try, but this won’t be one of those movies that is going to be revisited unfortunately.

The Reading is now streaming on BET+. Rated TV-MA with a running time of 96 minutes.