Horror thrives in situations where someone or something is preying on the vulnerable.

It’s a frightening set-up, with probable victims unable to contend easily with these forces by definition.

It’s truly a match made in hell, at least for our endangered protagonists.

John Lithgow in a maroon swater holding up a toy doll in a crowd of elderly people looking focused

Image via IFC Films

What is ‘The Rule of Jenny Pen’ About?

They’re well-structured and executed scenes that contribute to the feeling of claustrophobic threat permeating the facility.

“John’s probably more of a Joan Crawford to my Bette Davis.”

Geoffrey Rush in a red and blue robe under the covers of a hospital bed looking off to the side in fear

Image via IFC Films

What’s left is a horror film that’s good, but which stops short of being great.

The Rule of Jenny Pencomes to theaters on March 7.

Cast

The Rule of Jenny Pen is a psychological thriller released in 2024.

Custom Image of James Ashcroft and Geoffrey Rush at Fantastic Fest

John Lithgow with a babydoll hand covering his mouth in The Rule of Jenny Pen

Image via IFC Films

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The Rule of Jenny Pen is a psychological thriller released in 2024. It follows a former judge, incapacitated by a stroke, as he seeks to thwart a psychotic resident who uses a puppet to terrorize the residents of a secluded care home, leading to chilling outcomes.

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John Lithgow

Geoffrey Rush