The Keeping Room

Towards the end of the American Civil War, three women are left alone on a remote farm in the South. Augusta, her younger sister Louise and their slave Mad have been managing without the men of the household, who were called away and have not returned. The three fend for themselves until violence reaches their valley: two deserters from the advancing Union army, drunk and bent on looting, cross paths with Augusta and then come after the farm. The women take up arms and improvise ways to defend their home as the attacks grow more unpredictable.

The Keeping Room was directed by Daniel Barber, his second feature after Harry Brown in 2009, from a screenplay by Julia Hart. It stars Brit Marling as Augusta, Hailee Steinfeld as Louise, Muna Otaru as Mad, and Sam Worthington as the renegade soldier Moses. The production was handled by Anonymous Content, Gilbert Films and Wind Dancer Productions.

The film drew mixed-to-average responses. On IMDb it holds a rating of 6 out of 10 from roughly 7,900 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 5.8 out of 10 from about 230 votes. A critics' score of 6.4 out of 10, drawn from 87 reviews, places critical opinion slightly above the audience average, though all three measures indicate a modest reception.