Naomi Watts doesn't usually miss. By the time 2016 rolled around, she was already a two-time Oscar nominee with a reputation for carrying psychological thrillers on her back. Remember The Ring? She’s a pro. So, when the cast of shut in 2016 was announced, people actually had high hopes. It looked like a prestige thriller. You had a powerhouse lead, a rising child star, and a setting that screamed "atmospheric tension."
Then the movie came out.
It currently sits at a brutal 9% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics didn't just dislike it; they felt personally offended by the waste of talent. Honestly, looking back at the lineup, it’s wild how much potential was left on the table. You’ve got actors who have since gone on to win massive awards or lead billion-dollar franchises. But in this specific 91-minute window of time, they were trapped in a Maine winter with a script that made very little sense.
The Heavy Hitter: Naomi Watts as Mary Portman
Mary Portman is a child psychologist living in rural Maine. She’s isolated. She’s grieving. Most of her days are spent caring for her stepson, Stephen, who is in a vegetative state following the car accident that killed Mary’s husband.
Watts is the anchor here. Without her, the movie probably would have gone straight to DVD. She does that "fringe of a nervous breakdown" thing better than almost anyone in Hollywood. In Shut In, she’s dealing with night terrors and a creeping sense that her house is haunted. Or maybe she’s just losing it? That’s the hook.
What’s interesting about Watts’ involvement is that she filmed this right around the time she was doing Twin Peaks: The Return and Allegiant. She was busy. Critics like Glenn Kenny noted that she brings a level of sincerity to the role that the writing doesn't necessarily earn. She treats the ridiculous twists like Shakespeare. That’s why she’s a pro. Even when the plot goes off the rails—and boy, does it—Watts stays committed to the dread.
The Breakout: Jacob Tremblay as Tom
If you saw Room, you know Jacob Tremblay is a generational talent. In Shut In, he plays Tom, a young patient of Mary’s who goes missing during a snowstorm.
Most of the movie’s tension relies on Mary’s guilt over Tom. She thinks he’s dead. Then she thinks he’s a ghost living in her walls. Tremblay doesn't actually have a lot of dialogue, which is a shame, but his physical presence is the catalyst for the entire third act.
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It’s funny to look at him here. He was so tiny! This was filmed right as his career was exploding. Seeing him play a "creepy kid" role (or at least a kid used for jump scares) felt a bit like a step back from the emotional depth of Room, but he still delivers. There’s a specific scene involving a crawlspace that reminds you why he was the go-to kid actor for the mid-2010s. He can do more with a wide-eyed stare than most adults can do with a five-minute monologue.
The Surprise: Charlie Heaton as Stephen
Before he was Jonathan Byers on Stranger Things, Charlie Heaton was playing the brooding, paralyzed stepson in this film. This is arguably the most difficult role in the cast of shut in 2016 because for 70% of the movie, he can’t move.
He just sits there.
But then the twist happens. If you haven't seen it, look away.
Actually, the movie is nearly a decade old, so let’s talk about it. Stephen isn't paralyzed. He’s been faking it. He’s obsessed with his stepmother and has been killing anyone who gets in the way. It’s a massive tonal shift that turns a ghost story into a "slasher in the house" flick. Heaton goes from a passive prop to a full-blown villain.
Heaton has a very specific look—a sort of disheveled, intense energy. It worked perfectly for Stranger Things, and it works here, too, even if the motivation for his character is incredibly problematic. The movie asks us to believe a teenager could fake a vegetative state for months, under the care of a professional, without ever being caught. It’s a big ask. But Heaton plays the "unhinged" vibe with terrifying commitment. He’s genuinely scary in the final chase scenes.
The Supporting Players: Oliver Platt and David Cubitt
You need a voice of reason in these movies. That’s Oliver Platt.
He plays Dr. Wilson, Mary’s psychiatrist friend who she talks to via Skype. It’s a classic trope. The protagonist describes something crazy, and the doctor says, "Mary, you're just tired. It's the medication."
Platt is great. He’s always great. He brings a warmth and a groundedness that the movie desperately needs. His character is the one who eventually figures out that Mary is being gaslit, leading to a frantic drive through a blizzard to save her.
Then there’s David Cubitt as Doug, a local guy who is basically there to be a red herring and eventually get killed. Cubitt is a veteran character actor (you might recognize him from Medium), and he does fine with what he’s given. Unfortunately, what he's given is a character whose sole purpose is to make the audience think, "Maybe he's the one creeping around the house?" He isn't.
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Why the Chemistry Didn't Save the Film
The problem wasn't the actors. The cast of shut in 2016 was stacked. The problem was the script by Christina Hodson.
Wait. Christina Hodson?
Yes, the same Christina Hodson who wrote Bumblebee and Birds of Prey. She’s actually a very good writer. Shut In was on the "Black List" in 2012—an annual survey of the best unproduced scripts in Hollywood. On paper, this story probably read like a tight, Hitchcockian thriller.
But something got lost in the translation to the screen. Director Farren Blackburn, known for his work on Daredevil and Doctor Who, opted for a very jump-scare-heavy approach. It felt cheap. When you have Naomi Watts and Jacob Tremblay, you don’t need loud "bang" noises to scare the audience. You just need to show their faces.
The film also struggled with its identity. Is it a supernatural horror? Is it a psychological study of grief? Is it a "Hush" style home invasion? It tries to be all three. By the time it settles on being a thriller about a murderous stepson, the audience is already checked out because of the slow build-up.
Real-World Reception and Legacy
When Shut In hit theaters in November 2016, it was buried. It opened against Doctor Strange and Arrival. Talk about bad timing. It grossed only about $13 million worldwide against a $10 million budget.
Despite the poor reviews, the movie is a fascinating time capsule.
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- Naomi Watts proved she could hold a frame even when the logic was failing.
- Charlie Heaton showed the range that would make him a household name just months later when Stranger Things took over the world.
- Jacob Tremblay cemented his status as the most reliable child actor of the era.
If you watch it today on a streaming service, it’s a decent "rainy Sunday" movie. It’s not a masterpiece, but the performances elevate it above the typical bargain-bin horror fare. There is a specific kind of comfort in watching high-caliber actors navigate a B-movie plot.
What to Watch Instead (or After)
If you liked the vibe of the cast of shut in 2016 but wanted a better payoff, there are a few places to go.
First, watch The Orphanage (2007). It handles the "is my kid a ghost?" trope with way more elegance.
If you want to see Naomi Watts in peak form, go back to Mulholland Drive or Funny Games. If it’s Charlie Heaton you’re after, Marrowbone (2017) is a much better psychological horror film that uses his talents more effectively.
Basically, Shut In is a lesson in how a great cast can't always fix a flawed execution. It’s a movie that exists in the shadows of much better films, but it remains a notable entry in the careers of its stars. It’s a reminder that even the best in the business have a "9% on Rotten Tomatoes" in their closet.
Next Steps for Film Fans:
Check out the 2012 Black List to see the original description of the Shut In script. Comparing the original concept to the finished product is a great way to understand how "development hell" and directorial choices can change a story's DNA. Also, if you haven't seen Room, watch it immediately to see what Tremblay is truly capable of when he has more than five lines of dialogue.