Film Review - Strange Darling
Images courtesy of VVS Films.
LOVE HURTS (NOW IN 35MM).
When a twisted one-night stand spirals into the last hurrah of a demented serial killer, nothing is what it seems in Strange Darling – JT Mollner’s electrifying exercise in non-sequential genre storytelling. Occupying space within a genre rife with narratives emboldened by the tenacity of the final girl archetype, Strange Darling shines as a viscerally white-knuckled cat and mouse thriller which will keep you perched on the edge of your seat. And I mean PERCHED. Strap in.
Launching with expository text crawl that begs for the dulcet tones of John Larroquette, we are about to witness a dramatisation of the final known killings of a serial killer’s years-long rampage across the Pacific Northwest. Springboarding into a simple yet magnetic visual of a bloodied woman running through the woods, the collaboration of Mollner and first-time DOP Giovanni Ribisi – yes the Giovanni Ribisi – yields phenomenal results. Oozing with a vivid palette which echoes Argento and The Coen Brothers, the cinematography alone is a showcase of textural vibrancy, bolstered by some expertly executed split diopter shots and the saturated lushness of the Oregon wilderness. Goddamn Giovanni, Xenu be praised (I don’t mean that – but good work).
The use of non-linear narratives elicits an eye roll from time-to-time, often owing to poor execution in its premise based upon their fickle nature in application. However, when crafted correctly, a disjointed structure can truly enhance the rhythmic complexity of the story as it unravels and draws you deeper. Suffice to say, Strange Darling’s non-sequential structure toys with your understanding, but does not attempt to do so at the expense of any other facet. In fact, it’s crafted so meticulously that everything is elevated. The jarring contrasts between each chapter – from the suspenseful chase sequences to the moments of quiet intimacy – fuels the fascinating profundity of The Lady (Willa Fitzgerald) and The Demon (Kyle Gallner) in their psychosexual battle of wits, whilst exhibiting a reliance not often seen in other disjointed narratives. Whilst many others have been guilty of utilising a non-linear structure to vaguely assemble a slew of disjointed plots together like badly assembled IKEA furniture, Strange Darling avoids this pratfall. If anything, the myriad of twists in this film is almost reliant upon a non-linear structure – which is so wildly refreshing.
Emerging from the festival circuit in all its adrenalised glory, Strange Darling is a nightmarishly visceral masterclass in subversion which keeps you on your toes from the get-go. Admittedly there is a difficulty in being deliberately ambiguous whilst singing its praises, but know that it’s one you absolutely cannot miss. Watch this one blind.
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Strange Darling is screening in cinemas from Thursday the 22nd of August. For tickets and more info, click here.