Reviews: Girl on the Third Floor (2019) Movie Review
Genres: Horror, Drama, Mystery
Subgenres: Supernatural, Survival, Thriller, Cursed, Dysfunctional Family, Haunted House - Inherited, Madness
Our honest review of Girl on the Third Floor (2019) breaks down its scares, pacing, and whether this horror movie truly stands the test of time.
Girl on the Third Floor (2019), directed by Travis Stevens, is a gooey, gory, slow-burn haunted house horror that drips with metaphor — literally and figuratively. Starring former WWE champion CM Punk in a surprisingly capable lead performance, the film blends body horror, psychological torment, and a classic ghost story into a meditation on toxic masculinity, temptation, and the inescapable consequences of one’s past.
Girl on the Third Floor (2019) – A House That Bleeds, Oozes, and Judges
Plot, Themes, and Character Development
The plot centers on Don Koch (played by CM Punk, real name Phil Brooks), a man attempting to renovate a decrepit Victorian home in the suburbs for his pregnant wife. Don is not only fixing up a broken house — he’s trying to patch over a broken life. As the days pass, strange occurrences begin to plague him: walls ooze slime, marbles roll on their own, and seductive women appear out of nowhere. The house clearly has a mind — and judgment — of its own.
At its core, the film is a cautionary tale about male entitlement, infidelity, and inherited guilt. Don is a deeply flawed man: arrogant, impulsive, and prone to selfish decisions. The house becomes a supernatural mirror, reflecting back his sins and forcing him to confront them. The story leans heavily on metaphor — bloodstains that won’t scrub out, gooey plumbing mishaps, and feminine spirits who are both alluring and vengeful.
This haunted house doesn’t just spook its inhabitants — it punishes them, especially those like Don, who think they can fix external problems without changing internally.
Acting and Cinematography
CM Punk delivers a performance that’s surprisingly effective. While he lacks the polish of a seasoned actor, his natural charisma and physical presence work well for a character like Don — cocky, abrasive, and slowly unraveling. His descent from overconfident house-flipper to terrified, bleeding wreck is believable and engaging.
The supporting cast — including Trieste Kelly Dunn as Don’s long-suffering wife and Sarah Brooks as the mysterious, seductive Sarah — add depth to the story, though their screen time is limited. Brooks especially brings an eerie sensuality to her role, embodying the film’s theme of temptation with unnerving charm.
Visually, the film is lush and atmospheric. The house itself feels alive: its creaky floors, stained walls, and secret passageways are shot with care and discomfort. Director Stevens uses practical effects — thick, viscous fluids, strange growths, and grotesque transformations — to ground the horror in a tactile, body-horror aesthetic. It’s grimy, gross, and deeply unsettling in a way that fans of Hellraiser or The Evil Dead might appreciate.
Directing Style, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Travis Stevens, in his directorial debut, shows a confident sense of mood and symbolism. The pacing is methodical, intentionally slow to allow the atmosphere to build and Don’s psyche to unravel. The film’s restraint is admirable, but it may frustrate viewers expecting jump scares or high-octane horror.
Stevens trades in allegory over exposition, which is a strength in building tension, but sometimes a weakness in narrative clarity. Some viewers may find the plot meandering or the themes a bit on-the-nose — especially with the frequent shots of phallic pipes bursting, oozing holes in walls, and eerily s**ualized decor.
Despite these indulgences, the film feels original. It’s less about what happens and more about what it means, using horror to explore moral decay and the mess men leave behind when they don’t confront their failures.
Strengths:
Atmospheric and unsettling visuals, rooted in practical effects
Symbolic storytelling with a strong moral and psychological undercurrent
CM Punk’s surprisingly effective lead performance
Creative haunted house tropes blended with body horror
Weaknesses:
Pacing may be too slow for mainstream horror fans
Allegorical storytelling can be heavy-handed at times
Minimal character depth for supporting cast
Gross-out visuals might not be for everyone
Final Verdict & Score: 6/10
Girl on the Third Floor isn’t your typical haunted house horror — it’s a sticky, metaphor-laden descent into self-destruction. Anchored by a committed performance from CM Punk and enhanced by creative practical effects, the film delivers more on tone and metaphor than plot twists or outright scares. It’s not for all tastes, but for horror fans who appreciate symbolism, mood, and moral reckoning, it’s a satisfying — and gross — ride.
Sources Used to Shape This Review
Insights in this review are drawn from director interviews, fan commentary, production notes, and long-form breakdowns across genre-specific platforms. Content is written uniquely and reviewed for accuracy.
- Girl on the Third Floor Rating Scores
- Our Score: 6/10
- Overall Score: 6.28/10
- IMDB: 4.7/10
- MetaCritic: 6.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 8.1/10
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