A former judge must stop an elderly psychopath who employs a child’s puppet to abuse the residents of their shared rest home with deadly consequences. A film by James Ashcroft, starring John Lithgow, Geoffrey Rush, and George Henare.

As Judge Stefan Mortensen (Geoffrey Rush) delivers his sentence in court, he suddenly suffers a stroke and collapses. The stroke leaves him partially paralyzed. Placed in an elder care facility Royal Pine Mews Care Home, Stefan finds his loss of physical autonomy unbearable. He clings to the hope that he’ll recover enough to return to his own home soon.

At the care home, Stefan meets Howie Wicker (Ian Mune), an elderly resident smoking and drinking outside. When Howie asks why he’s there, Stefan sighs that he had little choice, explaining that his limited budget and the shortage of hospital discharges left him with no alternatives. Later, Howie chokes on his drink, spilling alcohol down his clothes. While Howie passes out, his lit cigarette drops onto his alcohol-soaked trousers. Stefan watches in horror as flames quickly spread across Howie’s body, consuming him before anything can be done.

During his stay, Stefan grows increasingly irritated with his roommate, former rugby player Tony “Gunner” Garfield (George Henare). When Stefan complains to care home manager Madeline Shepard (Holly Shanahan) and asks to be moved to another room, she gently refuses. Madeline explains that all medical suites are double occupancy but promises to put Stefan on the waitlist once his recovery progresses.

One night, Stefan wakes up to find Tony looking terrified. Stefan freezes when he notices Dave Crealy (John Lithgow) sitting silently in a corner chair, holding a plastic urinal. Dave slowly rises and approaches Stefan’s bed, then pours the urine from the container onto Stefan before walking out of the room without uttering a single word.

Stefan yells at the carer, describing what Dave did to him and demanding Dave be moved to the dementia wing. Strangely, no one believes him. Madeline firmly explains that Dave is a paying resident just like Stefan and won’t be relocated anywhere. Growing frustrated, Stefan tells Madeline to ask Tony to back up his story. To Stefan’s shock, Tony claims he didn’t see anyone in their room and says Stefan just started making a scene in the middle of the night for no reason, scaring him half to death.

Fed up with being dismissed, Stefan decides to take matters into his own hands. The next day, he publicly humiliates Tony in front of the other residents. He then tries to provoke Dave, even flinging pudding in his face, but his plan backfires when Dave remains eerily calm, portraying himself as the innocent victim.

That night, Dave along with his hand puppet Jenny Pen visits Stefan and Tony’s room. First, he bullies and tortures Tony into submission, forcing him to lick his hand to prove that Jenny Pen rules above all. When Stefan tries to intervene, Dave chokes him and warns that things will get worse if he tells anyone. After Dave leaves, Tony confesses that Dave has been bullying him for a while, usually with a slap or two. But now, with Stefan watching, Dave has become even more aggressive.

Directed by New Zealand filmmaker James Ashcroft and co-written by Ashcroft and Eli Kent, The RULE of JENNY PEN is a psychological thriller based on Owen Marshall’s 1992 short story of the same name. Set in a care home, the film delves into themes of vulnerability, bullying, and cruelty among elderly residents.

While the film does an excellent job showing the harsh realities of care homes where residents often feel neglected by staff who are just doing their jobs rather than showing real care, it suffers from pacing issues. John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush give powerful performances, but the several scenes feel repetitive and drag in places without moving the plot forward much. What we’re left with is an extremely slow thriller that feels stretched too thin, as we watch Stefan suffer through bullying while waiting for his eventual revenge.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but I didn’t like how the movie initially tricks viewers into thinking there’s something supernatural about that creepy hand puppet, Jenny Pen. The way its facial expressions shift, its size changes, or its eyes suddenly appear like a normal doll’s creates an unsettling atmosphere that makes you question reality. However, I found it somewhat disappointing when these mysterious elements were ultimately revealed to be purely psychological manifestations.

The RULE of JENNY PEN premiered at Fantastic Fest on 19 September 2024. The film received a limited theatrical release in Canada and the United States on 7 March 2025, and in New Zealand on 20 March.