9 Reasons The Visit Is M Night Shyamalan's Comeback

3. The Family Drama Actually Works

A major part of the movie's plot concerns the fact that Rebecca and Tyler's mother Paula has been estranged from her parents for 15 years ever since an unpleasant event happened that she won't talk about. Though it is admittedly far-fetched that Paula would allow her two kids to stay with her parents without having seen them for so long, it's a fundamental part of an interesting family dynamic which gives the film surprising dramatic weight. Rebecca and Tyler's father left the family when they were young, and so much of the movie is concerned with the kids' differing reactions to his departure. While in many movies this would seem like pointless filler, it works because the characters feel like real people, and as such the movie's resolution to these issues is surprisingly satisfying. One closing scene, in which the family has a heart-to-heart about holding onto anger and resentment, is surprisingly sad and one of Shyamalan's best scenes in a long time. Compare this to the family dynamics in movies like this summer's Jurassic World and Ant-Man, where it feels woefully tacked on for casual audiences, and it seems even better.