Strange Darling is the best thriller of the year

Ian Sandwell
·3 min read
willa fitzgerald in strange darling
Strange Darling is the best thriller of the yearIcon Film Distribution

It's always tricky to review a movie that is best experienced cold, but it's also probably not enough for us to say go and watch Strange Darling because it's excellent.

If that's enough for you, great. Stop reading now and go and experience Strange Darling right now as it's finally arrived in UK cinemas, following its US release last month.

But if you need more, we're here to help. The thriller opens with a woman (Willa Fitzgerald) in clear distress, running through the Oregon wilderness with a bloodied ear. After a bold title sequence – backed by Z Berg's cover of 'Love Hurts', one of several Z Berg songs on the excellent soundtrack – we spot who.

The Lady (as she's only ever known in the movie) is running from a relentless predator known only as the Demon (Kyle Gallner). Is everything exactly as it seems, though? That's the true joy of Strange Darling.

kyle gallner in strange darling
Allyson Riggs

Comparisons to Quentin Tarantino are obvious, given that Strange Darling's tale unfolds in a non-linear fashion and is divided into chapters. It starts in the middle before flashing back and forth across the timeline, with the jumps always expertly timed to subvert expectations.

An opening crawl claims that the movie is a dramatisation of the final day of a serial killer, but Googling the true story here won't help you as it's fictional. It does set you up to question every character you see, even eccentric couple Genevieve (Barbara Hershey) and Frederick (Ed Begley Jr), adding another layer of intrigue to proceedings.

As writer/director JT Mollner withholds all the cards until the final act, the glue holding the movie together is the lead performances from Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner, giving them both the juicy roles that should be a break-out moment for both of them.

Gallner subtly modifies his performance based on what we know or don't of the Demon, even playing on the audience expectation of his decidedly scuzzy '70s-inspired look. Fitzgerald is a revelation, disappearing into the complex role of the Lady, which requires some intensive fixed one-shots.

willa fitzgerald in strange darling
Icon Film Distribution

Their exceptional performances are matched by the filmmaking craft on display, with Strange Darling proudly proclaiming in its opening titles that it's shot entirely on 35mm film.

Director of photography Giovanni Ribisi – yes, that one – shows a real eye for capturing stunning wide vistas, as well as closing the frame for the movie's more intimate and claustrophobic moments. There's also a healthy splash of red throughout, with entire chapters bathed in it to striking effect.

Most importantly, the movie exerts a vice-like grip on the viewer as its story plays out unpredictably right through to its ending. You'll be able to spot the cinematic influences, but Strange Darling is its own thing and it's also the best thriller of the year.

5 stars
‏‏‎ ‎

Strange Darling is out now in UK cinemas.

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