This Tempting Madness (2025) Review

This Tempting Madness (2025) Review

Simone Ashley swaps Bridgerton balls and the high fashion world of The Devil Wears Prada 2 for mind-bending thrills, chills and a touch of body horror gore with her latest leading role in This Tempting Madness, set to make its UK debut 10 August, courtesy of Plaion Pictures. I was wondering if you’d be interested in taking a look at the film for review, please see the screener herewith and press release attached for more details.

The hugely talented British rising star is set to turn heads as she ‘showcases the full extent of her range’ (Fangirlish) with an ‘outstanding performance’ in the new ‘stylish psychological thriller’ (Bloody Disgusting). With jaw-dropping twists and turns, the enthralling mystery thriller is perfect for those who love Black Swan, Gone Girl, Girl, Interrupted and Memento.

Born from writer-director Jennifer E. Montgomery’s first-hand experience of tragedy, the film sees Ashley take the lead as Mia, a young woman who, after suffering a near-fatal fall, awakens from a coma with serious brain damage and amnesia. She spirals into insanity when she learns that her husband has been imprisoned for her attempted murder, leaving Mia to piece together her fragmented memories before she completely loses her grip on reality.

This Tempting Madness literally opens with a bang — an unfortunate one, followed by a couple more as our lead character crashes into surfaces while falling from a height at an airport building, eventually landing in a safety net. It is an arresting opening and an effective way to grab the audience’s attention immediately. The sequence makes particularly good use of visuals and sound, suggesting that what follows will be more than workmanlike and that considerable thought has gone into the film’s construction.

Co-writer and director Jennifer E. Montgomery cannot quite sustain that initial momentum or visual zest throughout the film’s duration, but she does deliver a decent, twisting plot that elevates This Tempting Madness above the average thriller. The film wisely keeps its biggest surprises in reserve until the final moments, while maintaining enough intrigue along the way to keep us invested.

There are times when the film sags, but committed performances help maintain interest, as does the central mystery surrounding the circumstances of the accident. What exactly caused a woman to fall from an airport building and suffer severe injuries? Was her paranoid husband, Jake (Austin Stowell), responsible, or is there considerably more going on than initially meets the eye?

The mystery works well enough to keep you guessing, and I found myself partly on the right track when the eventual revelation arrives. The film also isn’t afraid of moments designed to make you wince: watching Mia (Simone Ashley) repeatedly pick at her surgical scars is particularly uncomfortable, adding a visceral edge to the psychological drama.

While This Tempting Madness doesn’t always maintain the promise of its striking opening, its intriguing central mystery, committed performances and willingness to hold its major revelations until the final act make it a worthwhile watch. I was left with one lingering curiosity, though: the film claims to be based on a true story, and I found myself wondering exactly which one.

This Tempting Madness is on digital platforms from 10 August.