Ian West’s review published on Letterboxd:
My original intent was to see this theatrically but unfortunately spring and summer got off to a really rough start for me. First my grandmother passed away before the loss of two friends (cancer, suicide) and my best friends Mom passing away just drained me of feeling, so I kept things low key, giving myself time to reflect on everything and try to stay even keeled. I watched a ton of movies, celebrated a birthday, self medicated with booze, got closer with my parents, and absolutely avoided Hereditary. It’s a good thing I managed to go in totally blind... no trailer, no spoiler reviews, nothing, and im glad I waited because the permeating sorrow throughout this movie would have just ruined me at that time.
So I waited, waited for the summer to be just about over—watching it last night whilst not being tethered to think piece reviews or any hype and it really resonated with me. Beautifully shot with great performances all around, filled with sorrow and emotionally crippling moments, images I won’t soon forget, a banger of s score, pacing and a setting that’s right up my alley, and a final half hour I was very much on board with, in fact I was unsettled more times than I thought I’d be as Toni Collette’s scorching performance struck all the right nerves, etching various moments of grief and gut wrenching agony into my brain.
I sat on it for a day and collected my thoughts, and i can totally see how this didn’t or won’t work for many people, and that’s cool, that’s just how it is, but I feel like watching this when I did after a 4 month span of very somber/crippling emotional feelings of loss dictating my actions and thought process, Hereditary helped me close the door on recent events, a jolt I needed and perfect timing as I change along with the season. I woke up today to the scorching humidity and summer heat replaced by a cool breeze, Feeling good, memories set at ease, and ready to finish out the rest of the year like my old self.
So yeah, I loved it.