When was the last time you checked that linen closet? What about the spare bedroom? Can you be sure you’re alone in your home right now? After watching Joy Wilkinson’s feature debut, 7 KEYS, these questions are sure to be top of mind. The idea of being somewhere you aren’t supposed to be is inherently a little thrilling. There’s a certain degree of fun that comes with the risk of being caught. It’s dangerous, it’s naughty, it’s exciting. In 7 KEYS, Lena (Emma McDonald) and Daniel (Billy Postlethwaite) take this idea a step further when they decide to have sex in all seven of the apartment buildings that Daniel has ever lived in.
The film itself, however, is not as raunchy or freaky as a premise like that may lead you to believe. 7 KEYS takes a much more sanitized approach, evolving into more of a character study than anything else. At the movie’s start, 7 KEYS leans more into a surface level commentary on dating app culture, but by its conclusion, it manages to run the entire gamut of an abusive relationship in just about 90 minutes.
Lena is the anchor for the audience, our conduit leading us through this story, and we meet her at a very low point in her life. Struggling financially, and seemingly having her child taken away from her, it’s a heavy way to open a film. This backstory doesn’t really take root in the plot of 7 KEYS until much closer to its conclusion, and while it provides necessary sympathy for our protagonist, there isn’t enough done with this element of her life to make it truly impactful. Without this context, Lena’s character can come off as confusing, unlikable, and hard to connect with until we are reminded why she may be like this. It’s a little disjointed and ultimately does a disservice to the character.
In spite of this, McDonald’s performance is very grounded and real, so while you may not always be rooting for Lena, you are always invested in her. It’s hard to look away when she and Postlethwaite share the screen, as a couple that met after they were both stood up on the same night in the same restaurant. Almost too good to be true, isn’t it? 7 KEYS then follows the pair’s romp through London as they each inspire the other to open up bit by bit in each apartment they defile.
7 KEYS also investigates the theme of loneliness that is almost inevitable in modern life. We all live such isolated lives, we don’t often know our neighbors anymore, and it is so easy to miss the things that are going on around us. It’s exciting to meet someone new. Maybe not as thrilling as trespassing in someone else’s home and having sex there undetected, but there is still a novelty to it. 7 KEYS demonstrates how at times it can be easier to trust strangers. The stakes are often lower than when you’re talking to someone you actually know, prompting confessions that may not be revealed otherwise. What does it mean to really know someone anyway? What you don’t know can’t hurt you and the audience watches in real time how getting to know someone more has the ability to make them less attractive. A lot can be hidden under a pretty veneer. Modern dating is a psychological horror in and of itself, but 7 KEYS takes it up a notch, creating a thrilling and at times introspective ride, if a somewhat muddled one.
Tags: 7 Keys, Billy Postlethwaite, Emma McDonald, Film Festivals, Joy Wilkinson, SXSW, SXSW 2024
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