29/28
Lela, an undertaker, tries to uncover the truth about the mysterious death of her mother, who is haunted by ghosts and burdened with the burden of untold secrets. Lela works with her mother Siti as a corpse cleaner before funerals. Lela is not happy to continue this family profession while her brother gets a second job. When Siti’s friend dies mysteriously, she is disturbed by it. Then comes Sita’s death, which shocks Lela and she realizes that these mysterious deaths were actually murders. When she decides to investigate, another woman dies and they are all part of her mother’s circle of friends. As the families refuse to let the police intervene, Lela takes it upon herself to gather evidence to prove that these deaths were murders and put an end to it all. Whether she can save the village will determine the rest of the story. The main strength of the film lies in its use of female characters and the defining moment in the film is the gossip they spread which instantly enhances the story. Apart from the supernatural aspect, the narrative stays grounded with occasional scary moments and the subsequent police ambush seemed deliberate. The acting was pretty good and I wish there were more of these women. The flashback is only brief and we never get to know the whole story of Noor. It probably would have made the film more generic with a good-bad aspect but at least it would have answered the main question and not left it unanswered. Corpse Wash is a watchable film aided by the good performance of the lead actress.