Review of Strange Darling: Captivating thriller

JT Mollners Strange darling offers disturbing twists, exquisite camera work and a brilliant role from Willa Fitzgerald.

As with cuckooI was immersed in the world that Strange darling and focused on the journey of our two main characters. Director/writer JT Mollner deserves great praise for this, because his script kept me guessing until the end.

Then you have a cameraman for the first time, Giovanni Ribisi (You may know him as an actor from James Cameron’s Avatar) who knocks it out of the park and makes this film breathtaking. The icing on the cake is the performance of Willa Fitzgerald (Wildcat) as the lady, one of the most fascinating leading ladies you will find in a film this year.

Strange darling is a story Designed to keep your mind moving from start to finishThe focus is on two characters, the lady (Fitzgerald) and the demon (Kyle Gallner, from Jennifer’s body) who have a one-night stand. This encounter quickly escalates into a brutal series of murders by a serial killer.

The best thing to do is to Strange darling as blind as possible. A trailer was all I needed, and even that barely scratches the surface of what this narrative offers the audience. This thriller offers a non-linear plotpresents viewers with six chapters over the course of 96 minutes and throws it in with chapter four. You’re immediately thrown off balance and have to rush to put the puzzle together. With no real pieces, you’re left with no choice but to watch it all unfold. So the non-linear storytelling works for this story, rather than against it.

This method of storytelling also allows every twist, revelation and turn hits even harder. Just when you think you know where things are going, the rug is pulled out from under you and you have to rethink everything you’ve seen up to that point. Even though I figured out some twists early on, I still didn’t have the whole picture and that kept me hooked into the mystery. When it all came to light, I was not only speechless at the truth, but also felt a sense of satisfaction.

One of the best feelings an audience can get from a horror/thriller film, aside from the obvious scares, is that their time has not been wasted. Strange darling uses every minute of its running time wisely and creates a unique, psychologically frightening experience worth seeing.

JT Mollner’s slow writing style is somewhat comparable to Jordan Peele’s, as both make the audience think, aware that they can leave them alone with their thoughts and provide them with only minimal answers to their Feeling of discomfort. The ability to contain that fear and keep viewers on their toes can really create a scarier atmosphere than any amount of jump scares or gore. This narrative appeals to our desire for answers before taking much time to reveal the truth. Each revelation sends a shiver down your spine, culminating in an ending you never saw coming.

Giovanni Ribisi, for someone who has no experience as a director photographydoes a great job with Strange darling. Shooting on 35mm film was an excellent choice as the final product has a sort of 70s look that really fits the overall mood of the narrative. Although we get an idea of ​​when everything takes place, there is a sense of timelessness here and the way the film was shot leans into that. Ribisi frames everything well and gives everything such vibrancy with tons of color. So many of these images were breathtakingincluding a wonderful split-lens shot. Let’s hope Ribisi continues to hone and build on his craft, as he undoubtedly has talent behind the camera.

Speaking of talent: Willa Fitzgerald gives a performance for eternity here. She creates a character that is sexy, dark, crazy and absolutely fascinating. The lady will mess you up in many ways and you won’t be able to take your eyes off Fitzgerald the entire time. She is so good at capturing emotions and hitting you right in the heart with something as simple as a look.

The way her tone changes is enough to horrify you, but not fill you with the desire to run away. There is something about the Lady that will compel the audience to experience her journey to the end, no matter where it takes them. Fitzgerald completely loses herself in this role and left me in awe at how far she went. This performance should the kind of excitement that makes her a star and she undoubtedly deserves it.

Kyle Gallner is fantastic as the Demon and his chemistry with Fitzgerald shoot this film into the stratosphere. They play off each other so well and the results speak for themselves. The pair build a compelling relationship that spirals into this twisted nightmare and support each other. They both understand the concept of giving their fellow actor their standout moment when the script calls for it, which makes the best parts of this narrative stand out even more.

If I have a complaint about Strange darlingit is the I’m not sure how well it stands up to repeated viewing. The twists and subversion of audience expectations play such a crucial role in the greatness of this film that I think it will lose some of its impact if these become known. However, Willa Fitzgerald’s exceptional work may be reason enough for audiences to watch the film again and again.

Strange darling is deeply disturbing and one of the most fascinating horror films of the year. The story will keep you guessing and the lead role of Willa Fitzgerald will leave you speechless. If you approach the story as unprepared as I did, then you are in for a crazy adventure.

Strange darling will be released in US cinemas on 23 August 2024.

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