Intensity 🩸🩸🩸 out of 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
Written and Directed by JT Mollner
Strange Darling is a masterclass in story narrative, full of breathtaking surprises and harrowing thrills. JT Mollner applied the non-linear storytelling cinema rules from Tarantino and Nolan to the horror genre and succeeded brilliantly. In a year that thus far has struggled to impress horror fans, Strange Darling is destined to be a classic. A fair warning, though: as impressive as this movie is, its use of sexual violence may be severely triggering for some audiences.
I went into Strange Darlings cold. This movie was getting the most push from our friends at Popcorn Frights, from whom I received an advance screener copy for review. I figured that this was because it was having an imminent release, but as it turns out, this was the festival show stealer. It won the Jury Prize for Best Feature Film at Popcorn Frights, and I would strongly support the jury’s sentiment. This film feels like a genre-changing release.
After announcing that the story is about a serial killer who has been working their way from Denver to Hood River, Oregon, the film starts in media res, with a wild car chase that becomes a furious pursuit of a woman fleeing into the woods, pursued by a man with a carbine rifle. The scene is immediately captivating, and thanks to the efforts of cinematographer Giovanni Ribisi (Who learned a few things from Stephen Spielberg, and Saving Private Ryan, apparently) the opening sequence is harrowing and draws you into the story immediately.
Strange Darling is a wicked movie that will have you constantly guessing and counter-guessing the character’s motives throughout. This sexy thriller offers a puzzle that unveils one glorious unsequenced chapter at a time.
The Cast of Strange Darling:
Willa Fitzgerald plays The Lady, who we meet fleeing across a meadow. She is a woman with strange sexual appetites and has gotten in over her head with her latest escapade.
Kyle Gallner plays The Demon, who is pursuing The Lady. He has managed to track her down at a remote farmhouse. We learn that he and The Lady had a strange one-night stand together.
Ed Begley Jr. and Barbara Hershey play Frederick and Genevieve, a couple of “old hippies” and sasquatch crypto believers. They own the farmhouse where The Lady tries to take shelter.
Steven Michael Quezada and Madisen Beaty play Pete and Gale, police officers who are summoned to investigate the goings on at the farmhouse.
A Short Summary of Strange Darlings:
A man is chasing a woman, for reasons unknown, and manages to knock her off the road. The pursuit becomes a scramble to a farmhouse near Hood River, Oregon. (A lovely setting!)
The non-linear narrative hop-scotches around and you get introduced to the story forward and backward throughout. The similarities to Pulp Fiction, Memento, and Run Lola Run are striking. Learn from the best! What you perceive by entering the story in the middle will CHANGE.
The other chapters arrive in this order, and chapter cards announce them on screen:
- Chapter 3: “Can You Help Me Please”
- Chapter 5: “Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!”
- Chapter 1: “Mister Snuffle”
- Chapter 4: “The Mountain People”
- Chapter 2: “Do You Like to Party”
- Chapter 6: “Who’s Gary Gillmore?”
- Epilogue
The chapter sequence is very important, and each chapter reveals a bit of the secret story sauce. The chapters are revelatory, and you never lose your place. It is largely a two-person story about two strangers who meet for a one-night stand that goes very badly. The Lady is into bondage and S&M, and the man (The “Demon”) is reluctant to engage in the more extreme elements of these kinks, but she convinces him to play along. The dynamic of the power and control of these two people is in constant flux throughout the whole movie, right down to its final and stunning finish.
That is probably enough information to divulge. To say too much about this movie would rob movie-goers of some of the best plot twists in recent horror history. Go into this movie cold, and you will be rewarded.
EVALUATION OF STRANGE DARLINGS:
This movie ought to make stars out of Fitzgerald and Gallner, both veteran actors, but usually in supporting roles. The tension and drama that they squeeze out of their scenes together punches right through the screen and into your lap. Do not be surprised if JT Mollner ends up as an Ari Aster/Robert Eggers horror auteur.
In addition to threading together the complexity of a non-linear script, he mastered the pacing of the film. The movies open up at full throttle, hammering on the adrenaline accelerator. The opening sequence is a pure thrill ride. The next chapter dials back a bit and is largely a conversation between the two leads in his car. There is still a lot of dramatic tension in the air, as the two discuss the nature of their tryst.
The Lady even drops the line “Are you a serial killer?” And, for a good chunk of the movie, you are trying to determine if he is or is not a killer. The close-up portraits of the car dialogue are captivating (and difficult!), with the sexual tension taut and riveting. There hasn’t been a sexual thriller this captivating in decades. Go back to Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct, but add in a little bit more horror. This movie is horror adjacent, but it’s right next door to horror.
I got a kick out of the limited screen time that stalwart veteran actors Begley Jr. and Hershey had on screen. Their light touch of comedy was a welcome addition. Their presence helped alleviate some of the dramatic tension, and add to the horrors that happened. Steven Michael Quezada also impressed in his small role as a beleaguered sheriff.
CONCLUSION:
I will admit that this has been a bit of a disappointing year for horror films. There have been a lot of films available to watch, but there haven’t been many great ones. This one stands out from the crowd and is an intellectual challenge that I found very rewarding. Moreover, it’s a lot of fun. The surprises are big wow moments. I will remember this film for a very long time. This will likely be a launching pad of a film for several careers.
Top marks for the script. Same for the soundtrack (Love Hurts!) and sound design. Plus, the aforementioned cinematography. This movie is about as solid as you can get, so long as you can stomach the violence and kinky content.
It is very brutal at times. There are multiple cringe-inducing moments and jaw-dropping revelations. Again, a warning for the strong sexual violence content (debatably voluntary). As such those who get triggered easily should treat this with caution.
Strange Darling is currently playing in wide release throughout the USA. It is rated R for strong violent content, some gore, sexual kinkiness, and drug use. It is not a film that is pitched for a teen audience, and we would recommend that teens watch this with some supervision.
Review by Eric Li
Believe it or not, this trailer does not spoil how the movie unspools: