'Timothy' ... for Halloween

Andrew, a lonely young man, receives an unusual gift from his recently deceased grandmother – her friend, Timothy. He receives a box, containing a child’s drawing depicting Ruby (grandmother) and Timmy, an ornate mirror and a letter explaining the gift. As the bittersweet ‘horror’ story unfolds, it becomes clear that Timothy is a “demonic entity”, but not really evil, rather a dark companion, a sort of protector. Timothy is mischievous and displays human emotions – including a love for strawberry milk! He gets angry when Andrew throws away the box in the garbage and intends to avenge himself; yet again Timothy intervenes to save Andrew from an armed street robber. Andrew is Ruby’s grandson after all.

Timothy is never shown on camera, the viewer is only given glimpses of his the dark demonic claws. Timothy appeared to Ruby in her childhood; he misses Ruby and feels lonely without her. This ambivalent other-worldly entity is an underexplored trope in horror films.

The film reminds one of the everlasting bonds with loved ones that transcend time, space and even death. The teardrops that fall on Ruby’s drawing are the testimony of deep sadness at the finality of loss.