In the horror feature Control Freak, a motivational speaker who has built a career on helping people overcome negativity and self-doubt finds herself haunted by the voices in her own head. The film, directed by Shal Ngo, starts off strong but becomes fragmented in its third act. However, Kelly Marie Tran, who stars as the tormented Valerie, delivers a consistently impressive performance.

Tran, known for her roles in Star Wars movies The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, draws on her own experiences with negative voices, including the toxic fandom she encountered during her time in the Star Wars franchise. Like Tran, Valerie is the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants who moved to America after the war. Valerie’s life begins to unravel when she is plagued by supernatural trauma, manifesting in terrifying visions and excruciating acts of body horror, including a persistent itch at the back of her skull.

Initially, Valerie attributes her symptoms to stress, with a big speaking tour approaching and her husband pressuring her to start a family. However, as the itch becomes more aggressive, Valerie’s rigid self-reliance begins to unravel. She turns to Google for answers, eventually considering the possibility of supernatural forces at play, which may be connected to her mother’s death.

Valerie’s family provides little support: her aunt is reluctant to revisit the past, while her estranged father, a former addict now living in a monastery, may hold the key to understanding her affliction. As Valerie delves deeper into her past, the story gains urgency, making the viewer eager to uncover the truth alongside her.

However, the film’s pace slows down around the 1-hour and 45-minute mark, with Valerie’s confrontations with her father feeling repetitive. The story, which originated as a short film, appears to have been stretched thin in its expansion. Some plot threads, such as Valerie’s aunt’s potential to help her niece, are left unexplored.

Moreover, Valerie’s life as a celebrity and influencer feels underdeveloped. Despite being recognized by fans and having an assistant, her online presence is barely touched upon. In today’s social media-driven world, it would be expected that someone in Valerie’s position would be constantly updating her public image, which could have been an effective way to illustrate her crumbling life.

The film’s central focus on Valerie makes it a showcase for Tran’s talents. Despite the movie’s weaknesses, including a too-obvious central metaphor, Tran’s performance is a highlight. She crafts a character forced to confront generational trauma, a physical monster, and a crumbling marriage, all while maintaining sympathy from the viewer.

Tran’s portrayal of Valerie is impressive, even when the character makes extreme choices. The film’s climax is intense, with Valerie facing down her demons in a satisfying, if not entirely surprising, conclusion. Control Freak hits Hulu on March 13.

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