Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Hold Your Breath.
Sarah Paulson is a brilliant actress, but her most recent movie, Hulu’sHold Your Breath, was a bit of a letdown, particularly following her role inAmerican Horror Story.Hold Your Breathwas exclusively released onHuluon October 3rd, 2024. The horror-thriller is set in 1930s Oklahoma and follows the story of Margaret Bellum (Sarah Paulson) and her two daughters, Rose and Ollie, during a terrible series of deadly dust storms.
The movie also sees the family terrorized by a mysterious being namedthe Gray Man, althoughHold Your Breath’sendingintentionally avoids confirming the extent to which the Gray Man was real. It’s just as likely that Margaret, who increasingly loses her grip on reality, is hallucinating many of the movie’s events. There were many solid performances byHold Your Breath’scast, Paulson’s chief among them. Despite those positives, though,Hold Your Breathfailed to deliver on its promises of thrills and mystery.
Sarah Paulson Is Good In Hold Your Breath, But It’s A Disappointing Horror Movie
Sarah Paulson was undoubtedly one of the bright spots ofHold Your Breath. Her performance was believable, and she captured the unsettling nature of her character and the steady climb to a complete loss of sanity beautifully. These acting chops unfortunately still weren’t enough to make the movie compelling, however.Hold Your Breathmanaged an eerie ambiance, but at no point did it cross over into being truly terrifying.
Sarah Paulson was undoubtedly one of the bright spots ofHold Your Breath.
Even in terms of the movie’s mystery, it missed the mark. The question of whether the Gray Man was truly Wallace or even existed at all was an interesting one, but it didn’t feel all that pressing to solve—and the movie leaving it open-ended served to reinforce that.Hold Your Breathalso brings little to the genre, relying instead on predictable beats and recycled tropes, including Wallace’s façade as a man of God, which realistically fooled no one.
Hold Your Breath Directors Address The Grey Man’s Origins In Sarah Paulson Horror Movie
EXCLUSIVE: Directors Karrie Crouse and Will Joines share their thoughts on the origins of The Grey Man in their new movie, Hold Your Breath.
Sarah Paulson Should Return To American Horror Story
This horror movie’s more sour notes are especially disappointing given how excellent Paulson has proven to be in this genre, particularly throughout her appearances inAmerican Horror Story. Paulson has played numerous characters in the show, and she was a major face in several ofAmerican Horror Story’sseasons. In fact, ofAmerican Horror Story’s12 seasons thus far, Paulson has only missed seasons 9, 11, and 12.
American Horror Story Season 13: Confirmation, Cast, Story & Everything We Know
American Horror Story season 13 is confirmed, and there’s already speculation about what’s next for the Ryan Murphy anthology horror show.
There are now rumors Paulson could be returning forAmerican Horror Storyseason 13, which would be a welcome change followingHold Your Breath. Paulson is an incredibly talented actress, and she has already proven she shines inAmerican Horror Story. Following season 12 of the show, this would also undoubtedly be a mutually beneficial return. While it remains to be seen if Sarah Paulson will appear inAmerican Horror Storyseason 13, it would be a positive update following the disappointment ofHold Your Breath.
Hold Your Breath
Cast
In 1930s Oklahoma, during the devastating dust storms, a woman becomes convinced that a sinister presence is threatening her family.
American Horror Story
American Horror Story is a Horror Anthology series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. The franchise has seen stars like Connie Britton, Jessica Lange, Denis O’Hare, Zachary Quinto, Evan Peters, and Dylan McDermott. Each season follows a new premise and spans an array of horror genres like witches, ghosts, serial killers, and more.
