I just watched the film and thought it was fantastic. It was really dark and disturbing at times. The film kept me guessing at every turn and I haven’t been this impressed with a modern film in a while.
If you haven’t seen it yet I highly encourage you to check it out. Viewer discretion advised obviously.
Yeah, I enjoyed it too. At the very start, I worried that it might exceed my tolerance for film-school pretentiousness, but it turned out that a bit of style and a non-linear structure can really benefit what is ultimately quite a slight tale.
The nits to pick, of course, but it deserves the high ratings it’s got (IMO), and is worth the watch.
(the spoiler below is a really big one)
nitpick
Characters like the The Lady don’t really exist in real life. It’s not that there’s never been female serial killers, but they don’t tend to kill for the same reason as male ones, and they wouldn’t target men (who are pretty-much always stronger). So you could argue that this film has its cake and eats it - it provides the visceral thrill of a serial killer story, without the bleak reminder of anyone’s actual worst fears intruding.
I watched it last night and I really enjoyed it. Not what I was expecting at all. Great thriller that isn’t afraid to have a little fun with it’s premise.
It definitely subverts your expectations. I really enjoyed it. I need to watch more films like this.
Thanks for the recommendation!!
I thought it was really good and the twists and turns really kept me on the edge of my seat! It’s one of the few times I’ve watched a non linear film like that where it actually worked lol! There was only one thing that really annoyed me though:
SPOILER
If you were overdosing on ketamine, would snorting a whole bag of cocaine actually make you just totally fine afterwards? It seems like he would just have a heart attack like almost immediately wouldn’t he?
Excellent movie!
The nonlinear style was actually done really well
Loved the use of color in certain scenes, really made them pop (fun fact, the actor Giovanni Ribisi was Director of Photography. Apparently he had a small role in the movie too but I don’t recall it)
Willa Fitzgerald showed off huge acting range as The Lady. You know which scenes I’m talking about. Holy shit
Kyle Gallner didn’t show off as much range but was totally convincing as The Demon
I hadn’t seen either of them in anything before but I hope they get bigger projects after this. I think not having huge, well-known stars helped immerse me into the story though. In fact it was kind of jarring when Ed Begley Jr showed up because I actually recognized him in a movie full of people I had never seen before
The cast was excellent! I hadn’t seen any of these actors before but I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for any future film to feature them.
Sold! Thanks for the recommendation.
Hope you enjoy it. It’s a hell of a ride.
I watched it last night. A hell of a ride! Thanks again.
Glad you enjoyed it! Probably one of my new favorites.
Yeah it’s definitely a really good one. Not sure how much it’ll hold up to a rewatch though.
Tap for spoiler
A huge part of how good it is is the switching up of the sequencing and the shock factor.
Saw Strange Darling the other day. It’s stylish, well shot, and pretty intense, I think I held my breath during several scenes. And yeah disturbing. The two leads are amazing. I highly recommend it, it’s great for October spooky movie viewing.
I didn’t really know what to expect going into it. I was really impressed. It reminds me of Tarantino’s films but I liked this one better. The film looks gorgeous too.
It’s interesting to me how recognizable and influential the style of a single director can become over time. I thought of Tarantino shortly after the movie started, impressive considering Pulp Fiction came out…what, 30 years ago now? Reservoir Dogs is even older than that.
Hmm yeah, regarding PF’s age: I can see how Strange Darling would be more appealing today. It’s more modern and… probably more relatable if I had to guess? Yeah it is a gorgeous film. I mean, it’s an outstanding movie, and it’s a shame it’s still relatively unknown.
Tap for spoiler
I think coke sort of works as a pain killer and gives you an energy boost. I haven’t tried either drug but I can’t imagine combining the two would be pleasant. Also, I thought it would take more ketamine than that to tranquilize someone. People smoke it and don’t pass out. I’m not an expert however.
