Apple TV+’s upcoming thrillerEcho Valleyhas debuted its first look at Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney in the harrowing family drama. Directed by Michael Pearce (Beast, Encounter) and written by Brad Inglesby (Mare of Easttown), the film leads with Moore as Kate, a grieving mother living a quiet life on a Pennsylvania horse farm, until her troubled daughter Claire (Sweeney) arrives one night, covered in someone else’s blood. The cast also features Edmund Donovan as Claire’s drug-addled boyfriend and Domnhall Gleeson as a local criminal.Echo Valleywill premiere on AppleTV+ on June 13.
Now,Vanity Fairhas shareda first look at Moore and Sweeney’s estranged mother-daughter duo inEcho Valley. Kate’s farm serves as a stark, isolated backdrop for a story that grows increasingly explosive. In one image, Kate lies in bed with Claire, wrestling with how far she’s willing to go to shield her daughter from the consequences of her actions. Another shot features Domhnall Gleeson (About Time) presumably arriving at the farm with slicked-back hair and a smug look on his face. Take a look below:
What The First-Look Images Mean For Echo Valley
Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney both share a rare ability to portray emotionally nuanced characters. Sweeney is best known for her breakout role asCassie inEuphoriaand her Emmy-nominated turn inThe White Lotusseason 1. Moore has built an impressive career playing deeply layered and often transgressive characters from her recent performance inMay December(2023) to her Academy Award-winning role inStill Alice(2014). While from different generations in Hollywood,Moore and Sweeney have consistently demonstrated their ability to inhabit complex, flawed womenwithEcho Valleyto set to play to these strengths.
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Director Michael Pearcehaslong been drawn to stories about complex family dynamics. His 2017 filmBeastexplored a toxic mother-daughter relationship, while histhrillerEncounterfrom 2021followed a father desperate to protect his sons. The director’s first feature-length film,Beast, remains his most critically acclaimed with a 92% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, following up with a middling 55% score forEncounter. WithEcho Valley, Pearce takes a break from screenwriting to team up with Brad Inglesby, who is likely to reinvigorate the director’s signature family drama with atmospheric suspense amid the depths of Kate’s maternal devotion.
Our Take On Echo Valley
It’s A Small Story With Big Stakes
At first glance,Echo Valleyseems like a small, intimate thriller set in a quiet farmhouse, but the stakes appear to escalate far beyond that. The film brings together Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney in a tense, slow-burning drama that leans heavily on their strengths as performers. Moore’s quiet intensity and Sweeney’s unpredictable rawness should make for a compelling mother-daughter dynamic and perhaps some explosive arguments over their fractured relationship. With Pearce’s direction and Inglesby’s writing,Echo Valleycould be a gripping character study that surprises with its intensity.
