Affection – Movie Review (3/5)

AFFECTION is a sci-fi horror movie with a tiny cast, a scary (and heartbreaking) plot, and powerful performances. Especially Jessica Rothe is breathtaking in the lead role. Then again, when isn’t she?! I found myself wanting more details, but that never took away from this being a good sci-fi horror movie. Read our full Affection movie review here!

AFFECTION is a sci-fi horror that reminded me of a few other genre-hybrids I’ve watched in recent years. And yet, it managed to be entirely its own beast before the end credits. If you’ve enjoyed movies such as Honey Bunch and In Vitro, then you do not want to miss out on this one. And vice versa, of course.

In Affection, we have just three people in the plot and cast. A man, a woman, and a child. Their child, I should say, this isn’t some wild abduction story. It is, however, a story about control and heartbreak in ways I did not expect. It requires a lot of the plot, cast, and directing. Fortunately, it worked for me overall.

Continue reading our Affection movie review below. Find it in select theaters from May 8, 2026, and on VOD from June 5.

A mystery of horror and heartbreak

Affection is a mystery for much of its runtime, but you will be given clues, and then you’re “in the know” and can watch the story unfold with that knowledge. In many ways, we’re experiencing this story exactly like the main character, so we’re right there with her.

Her name is Ellie (Jessica Rothe), and we first meet her when she’s desperately trying to survive some sort of attack that appears to kill her. Next thing, she wakes up in a gorgeous house and has a husband (Joseph Cross) and their daughter (Julianna Layne).

While this may sound like her hit franchise Happy Death Day, this is not a loop story.

Instead, her husband (and daughter) explains to her that she suffers from a mysterious condition that resets her memory. Could this be true, or is something else going on? Ellie has absolutely no memory of this place or the people claiming to be her family.

And yet, these people obviously care deeply for her. Also, she is surrounded by years of photos and videos with proof of their happy lives together. Ellie does what she can to get to the bottom of everything… before she forgets it all again. Affection is very much a sci-fi horror hybrid, but it’s also a story of intense heartbreak!

Jessica Rothe is already an iconic final girl

I have no problem admitting that Jessica Rothe starring in Affection was enough to get my attention. With movies like Happy Death Day (and its sequel), she has earned a place among iconic final girls. You may also know her from Boy Kills World or the Utopia series. She’s brilliant in every single production.

Still, in this sci-fi horror movie, she goes quite a bit deeper than we’ve seen before.

Oh, she’s still a fierce fighter (much like Matilda Lutz) and does not back down. However, with Affection, her role also requires a lot of emotional turmoil in a way I can’t remember having experienced before. It’s often been more of a satirical og action-fueled performance that has been required.

Clearly, Jessica Rothe can take on pretty much anything, which Affection is a perfect illustration of.

Watch Affection in select theaters now

Affection comes from writer-director BT Meza, and it feels like a very personal movie. Not the core sci-fi elements of it, but the story of love and heartbreak. If you know anyone who has struggled with dementia, surely you will recognize the anguish we see in this movie. And no, that is not a spoiler, just a little insight.

While I related this story to that of losing someone to an illness like Alzheimer’s, the director and writer of Affection found inspiration elsewhere, losing a parent at a very early age. A brutal awakening to the realities of life, and how we can lose someone at any time, with warning or not; it breaks your heart.

And what happens in the aftermath of such a devastating loss could either help you move forward in a positive way as a family or result in a new nightmare. 

With a runtime of just 90 minutes, Affection packs a punch, thanks to Jessica Rothe and Joseph Cross, especially. Their portrayals are exactly what this movie needs for the story to come alive. I even managed to get over the fact that Joseph Cross looks like a male version of Laura Linney (well, mostly, cause they do look so very much alike!).

AFFECTION is out in Select Theaters on May 8, 2026, and on VOD from June 5.

Details

Directed/Written by: BT Meza
Starring: Jessica Rothe, Joseph Cross, Julianna Layne