WOMEN TALKING (2023)

January 12, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Do nothing. Stay and fight. Leave. Those are the three options a group of women debate in the loft of a barn on the edge of their religious commune. The true story that inspired Miriam Toews to write her 2018 novel is horrific. Between 2005 and 2009, there were more than 150 cases of females being drugged (with livestock tranquilizers) and violently raped. They ranged in age from three to sixty-five, and this occurred in a deeply religious Mennonite community in Bolivia. The great writer-director Sarah Polley has adapted Ms. Toews’ novel for her first feature since STORIES WE TELL (2012), and we welcome her back as a voice always deserving of a platform.

When two girls spot a rapist running away one evening, an emotional fire is lit. The man is charged, and this leads the women to organize their own meeting to discuss the three options noted above. Rooney Mara plays Ona, the good-hearted optimist. Claire Foy plays her sister Salome who spends much time in rage mode. Jessie Buckley is Mariche, the often brutally abused woman who has her own strong ideas. If you are a movie lover, you immediately recognize that these three are among the best young actresses working today. What a pleasure to watch them do what they do … despite the material often being extremely uncomfortable and stress-inducing. This new generation of community women are joined in debate by the elders: Agata (Judith Ivey) and Greta (Sheila McCarthy), who both carry the burden of shame having raised their daughters in this environment. Scarface Janz (Oscar winner Frances McDormand, also a producer on the film) only has a couple of scenes, as she is stays strong in her ”do nothing” stance.

As the dialogue continues in the loft, we learn much about what these women, as well as the generations before them, have endured. Over the years, whenever victims have spoken up about the horrible abuses, their accusations have been dismissed as “wild female imagination.” The religious patriarchy has led to many years of submission and resignation to a lesser life – one that includes manual labor and a lack of education. These women cannot read or write, so they have asked August (an excellent Ben Whishaw) to take notes and list the pros and cons of the options. August is a gentle soul and the local schoolteacher who has an eye towards Ona.

Revenge, forgiveness, protecting one’s self and their children is all part of the discussion, as is the difference between fleeing and leaving. These women are finding their voice through the strength of each other. Cinematographer Luc Montpellier uses mostly black and white with some subtle color gradation for effect, as well as a contrast between interior (barn loft) shots and those of the outdoor vistas and fields (representing the outside world). The score from Hildur Guonadottier is heavy on strings and works perfectly for the story, and the inclusion of “Daydream Believer” from The Monkees is a welcome inclusion.

We don’t normally think of cinema as watching people sit around and talk. One of the best ever movies showing debate among adults is 12 ANGRY MEN, and this film takes a similar approach and is not far off from the level of that all-time classic. The courage of those real women from Bolivia was staggering, and Sarah Polley offers up this intellectual and thought-provoking approach to these women taking stock of their situation. It’s a gut punch, yet somehow inspiring.

Opens in theaters on January 13, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

COME FIND ME (2023)

January 12, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Writer-director Daniel Poliner delivers two movies in one. And while that may be a real value when shopping, it can be a bit counterproductive in moviemaking. We begin with the story of Christina (Victoria Cartagena, “Gotham”), a Latina senior associate on the Partner path at her law firm, despite the unrealistic expectations from her boss. Christina is stressed-out and beaten down. She’s worried about a pro bono client who can’t seem to shake her abusive boyfriend. Christina is also trying to help her mother straighten out her finances, and if all that isn’t enough, she just found out she’s pregnant … the father is another lawyer in the firm.

This first section of the film draws us in to Christina’s saga. She clearly cares about her career, while understanding that a step off the fast-moving treadmill would probably do her good. Her mother Gloria (Sol Miranda, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”) is frustrated that Christina doesn’t visit her more often and the two seem to have an unsettled relationship. Once this story has us hooked, filmmaker Poliner abruptly shifts gears, and this becomes Gloria’s story two years later. She’s a career teacher-principal at an inner-city school and is nearing retirement … and it’s the week of Christina’s wedding, which means events with the soon-to-be Jewish in-laws. We quickly realize Gloria is out of place at the rehearsal dinner.

The groom’s mother is played by the always interesting Tovah Feldshuh, but even that’s not enough to keep us on track. Director Poliner makes some interesting creative choices by showing a few sequences playing out slightly differently each time. These visions seem to represent the way memories work by displaying the variances in what we recall, how we wish a moment played out, and what actually happened. It’s like the internal dialogue come to life, while mixing past and present. Both Christina and Gloria have their internal light flashing – literally, at times. Gloria’s story, though it could have been every bit as interesting as Christina’s part one, ends up a bit confusing. Supporting work comes courtesy of Ryan Woodle, Andrew Polk, and Adam LeFevre, and while a creative approach is always welcome, we viewers do hope to make sense of what we see on screen.

Opening in theaters and On Demand on January 13, 2023

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A MAN CALLED OTTO (2023)

January 5, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Grumpy people are everywhere these days. In fact, two-time Oscar winner and all-around likable guy Tom Hanks (FORREST GUMP, PHILADELPHIA) may be the only one who catches us off-guard when he’s grumpy. Here, Hanks plays Otto, the neighborhood curmudgeon who patrols the community daily drenched in full-fledged annoyance over topics like pets, recycling, traffic, and parking. In fact, Otto is annoyed by most people and just about everything they do (and these days, who amongst us isn’t).

The film is an American remake of the Oscar nominated Swedish film, A MAN CALLED OVE (2015), which featured a terrific titular performance from Rolf Lassgard. Both films have been adapted from Fredrik Backman’s novel, “A Man Called Ove”, with writer-director Hannes Holm behind the 2015 version, and screenwriter David Magee (LIFE OF PI, 2012) and director Marc Forster driving this one. Mr. Forster has previously directed some interesting and diverse movies including, MONSTER’S BALL (2001), FINDING NEVERLAND (2004), STRANGER THAN FICTION (2006), THE KITE RUNNER (2007), QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008), WORLD WAR Z (2013), and CHRISTOPHER ROBIN (2018).

We join Otto on his morning rounds, and that’s when we witness his constant annoyance on display, while also meeting some of his neighbors like Jimmy the friendly power walker (played by Cameron Britton), as well as the ultra-friendly new neighbors, very pregnant Marisol (a superb Mariana Trevino), her husband Tommy (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and their herd of young kids. There is also Otto’s estranged friend Reuben (Peter Lawson Jones), who is now very sick, his wife Anita (Juanita Jennings), and Malcolm (Mack Bayda) a local boy whose parents kicked him out because he’s transgender. Malcolm has a connection to Otto’s late wife, and it’s her passing that has not only caused Otto’s personality to shift into grump mode, but also pushed him to explore ways to join her ‘in a better place’, although he can’t quite manage the next step.

Marisol is really the major force in the story, as her unrelenting friendliness and persistence in connecting with Otto, slowly breaks down his defense as he finds a reason to live. Director Forster uses flashbacks to help us understand Otto’s background. Hanks’ own son Truman Hanks plays him as a young Otto, while Rachel Keller portrays young Sonya, the girl that wins his heart. A devastating personal tragedy can certainly impact a person to the point where their personality and outlook changes; however, we also see how a positive influence … here with Marisol … can help pull someone out of a dark emotional hole.

Tom Hanks (coming off his roles as Colonel Tom Parker in ELVIS and Geppetto in PINOCCHIO) is so familiar to movie goers that it’s comical to see him go full grump, although it should be noted that he’s more Walter Matthau in BAD NEWS BEARS (1976) or GRUMPY OLD MEN (1993) than he is Clint Eastwood growling “Get off my lawn” in GRAN TORINO (2008). In other words, despite some similarities to ABOUT SCHMIDT (2002), the film is never quite as dark as it portends, even with Otto’s congenital heart issue and the redevelopment threats from the perfectly named Dye & Merica Real Estate Company. This is designed and presented as a sentimental mainstream film that is easily relatable, and it will undoubtedly have that appeal.

Opens in theaters on January 6, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

M3GAN (2023)

January 5, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Dolls are the new Clowns in horror. Okay, that’s not actually true since there is a long history of creepy dolls coming alive. Do you remember “The Twilight Zone” 1963 episode “Living Doll” featuring Talking Tina (voiced by the late, great June Foray, known for Rocket J “Rocky” Squirrel, Cindy Lou Who, Granny in the Warner Bros cartoons)? More recently we have experienced Chucky in CHILD’S PLAY (1988) and ANNABELLE (2014), and in a much less frightening style, the many dolls and playthings in TOY STORY (1995). This new generation is brought to us by director Gerard Johnstone (HOUSEBOUND, 2014) and the writing team behind MALIGNANT (2021), Akela Cooper and James Wan. Of course, new generation means high-tech, so this one injects the Artificial Intelligence from Alex Garland’s EX MACHINA (2014).

The tone is set from the beginning as we open on a “Saturday Night Live” type parody of TV advertising for a product PurRpetual Pet, furry critters that talk and poop while being controlled from an app (like everything else these days), and are guaranteed to outlive their owner, thereby eliminating grief. The manufacturer is Funki Toy Company, where Gemma (Allison Williams, GET OUT, 2017, and the daughter of national news anchor Brian Williams) is the head of the robotics department. Gemma’s workaholic lifestyle and commitment to career is rocked when she must take guardianship of her eight-year-old orphaned niece, Cady (Violet McGraw, “The Haunting of Hill House”). Having no clue how to parent or even relate to a child, Gemma fires up her advanced prototype, M3GAN (Model 3 Generation Android), a lifelike synthetic, learn-on-the go robot meant to bond with one person … and in this case, parent Cady in a way that allows Gemma to stay focused on work. And yes, things don’t go according to plan.

As a caution, the first half hour (after the fake TV ad) is a bit dull; however, the pacing and entertainment value jump significantly once M3GAN comes home with Gemma and Cady. Sure, it’s kinda campy, and even funny at times, but M3GAN’s look and mannerisms are sufficiently creepy, even if her subtle eye movements and facial gestures are much more fun than her over-the-top protection of Cady. Amie Donald and Jenna Davis combine to deliver M3GAN’s physical movements and vocals, respectively. Even with it’s too-obvious jabs at corporate greed and parenting via tech, the film is likely to be a hit with teenagers, especially once it hits streaming platforms. Grown-ups aren’t likely to find it as appealing, although most every movie lover will admit this one trumps the annual tradition of lousy horror releases in January.

Opens in theaters on January 6, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

TURN EVERY PAGE – THE ADVENTURES OF ROBERT CARO AND ROBERT GOTTLIEB (2022, doc)

December 29, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Writing well is difficult. Very few are really good at, even though many of us try. Editing well is difficult. Very few of us put much effort into it and it shows. Documentarian Lizzy Gottlieb uses her inside track to provide a fascinating look at the relationship between writing and editing at the highest level. Her father, Robert Gottlieb, is one of the most renowned literary editors of the past 50 years, and his relationship with Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist-turned-biographer/author, Robert Caro, goes under the microscope. The result is an insightful peek behind the curtain of their process.

Ms. Gottlieb spent five years on the film, and the two subjects set the ground rules … they refused to be interviewed together in the same room. Because of this, the film begins with each man providing their own personal profile, dating back to their childhood and how they began honing their particular set of skills. Mr. Caro speaks to his newspaper background and how he transitioned into the years long process writing his 1974 classic, “The Power Broker”, a massive biography of Robert Moses and the development of New York City. Ms. Gottlieb provides a contemporary point by noting the book’s COVID resurgence, as it’s frequently seen on the bookshelves of folks during Zoom interviews.

Mr. Gottlieb recalls his first interview and job at Simon and Schuster, and how he worked his way up to Editor-in-Chief at the publishing house, prior to holding the same position at Knopf Publishing, and The New Yorker. Estimating that he has edited between 600 and 700 books, it’s fascinating to hear his recollections on coming up with the ‘22’ for Joseph Heller’s classic, “Catch-22”. Gottlieb also edited such fine writers as Michael Crichton and Toni Morrison, while also fine-tuning a most unusual personal collection unrelated to books.

Most importantly, we get the sense of Mr. Caro’s incredible dedication to deep research in the segment about his multi-volume biographical series, “The Years of Lyndon Johnson.” It’s a bit stunning to witness Caro show his process of utilizing actual carbon paper for copies of all the work he types out on his Smith-Corona. He makes no apologies for being old school in his approach to work.

Ms. Gottlieb’s goal was to document the two men finishing up Caro’s final volume of the LBJ series. Both men are in the 80’s and have worked together on 5 books spanning 50 years … and though the film does end, the final book remains a work in progress. Caro’s literary agent Lynn Nesbit admits the two men’s relationship has been contentious at times, and they’ve been known to have some colorful battles over punctuation … especially semicolons.

This is not a true bio of either man, but rather an expose’ of their working relationship and the painstaking process of completing a book. Their shared commitment to the highest level of work speaks to the pride, ego, and intelligence of each. One of my favorite lines comes from Mr. Gottlieb when he states, “He does the work. I do the cleanup.” The director does finally succeed in getting the two men on camera in the same room for editing … with one big catch. And that comes, of course, after a frantic hunt for a number 2 pencil.

The film opens on December 30, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

BABYLON (2022)

December 23, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. It’s 1926 and a movie mogul is planning yet another massive debauchery-filled industry party at his palace of a home in still-developing Bel-Air, California. Lest we have any doubt that this party is over-the-top, we are forced to witness the handlers of the main attraction – a circus elephant – get sprayed from the wrong end as they push the colossal beast up the hill. Once the party starts, things get even crazier. Orgies, drugs, nudity, wild dancing, and a golden shower and drug overdose in the room of a Fatty Arbuckle type … yes, this opening party sequence lasts 20-30 minutes, and occurs before the opening credits. The only touch of class is the old school Paramount logo.

Writer-director Damien Chazelle (Oscar winner, LA LA LAND, 2016) sets the stage for his wild and frenzied epic meant (I think) as a tribute to early Hollywood and the uneasy transition from silent films to talkies. Of course, that topic has been handled in other prestige films – recently with THE ARTIST (2011), as well as the classic SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952). It’s the latter which serves as a template or guidepost for Chazelle, to such an extent that he shows clips from it, quotes it, and even has a couple of his characters share similarities with Lina Lamont and Don Lockwood.

From the moment she crashes onto the party scene, this becomes Margot Robbie’s movie. Fully engaged doesn’t begin to describe how she embodies the Nellie LaRoy character. Nellie is a displaced Jersey girl desperate to break into showbiz, and she pursues stardom with everything she has to offer. Nellie is a risk-taker and literal gambler, and the character is supposedly inspired by the infamous Clara Bow. It’s at that first wild party where she meets both Jack Conrad (Oscar winner Brad Pitt) and Manny Torres (Diego Calva). Conrad is a huge silent movie star, and also a boozing womanizer with the accompanying swagger (supposedly based on actor John Gilbert). Manny, though a much quieter soul, is much like Nellie in that his ambition is to work in the movie business. The two discuss their dreams while tearing into mounds of cocaine.

Nellie’s fearlessness in front of the camera (much like Ms. Robbie’s) pays off as the offers roll in and she makes her name. She and Manny periodically cross paths as he climbs the ladder towards studio executive. We also keep up with Jack Conrad and his stream of wives, and how things begin to change with THE JAZZ SINGER and the advent of talking motion pictures. While all this is happening, the film also (sorta) follows the career of jazz trumpeter Sidney Powell (Jovan Adepo) as he builds a career as a black performer on screen. One of the more interesting characters who we wish had more screen time is Lady Fay (played by Li Jun Li). We are rarely treated to a Chinese lesbian chanteuse, and she makes each of her scenes quite fascinating.

Others in the cast include Olivia Wilde as one of Jack Conrad’s many wives, Lukas Haas as an industry guy, Eric Roberts as Nellie’s hustler dad, Pat Skipper as William Randolph Hearst, and Max Minghella as the legendary Irving Thalberg. They are each fine, but none as memorable as Tobey Maguire (also a producer on the film), who has a funny/creepy cameo as a fictional giggling gangster named James McKay. However, it’s Jean Smart as Elinor St John, a gossip columnist in the mold of Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons, who has the film’s best scene when she deals the hard truth to Jack Conrad. Ms. Smart seems to excel in every role she takes these days, and this may be one of her best, albeit with limited screen time.

The issues with the film have nothing to do with its entertainment value and outrageous moments or with the performances. Each of those things keep us watching. It’s only when we stop and think about it when the problems come into focus. Most blatant is the love story between Manny and Nellie. They actually spend very little time together after their cocaine feast. Certainly not enough to fall in love. There is a ‘blackface’ scene unlike anything you’ve seen before, and in 3 hours and 8 minutes director Chazelle follows up the projectile elephant poop with vomit from a drug overdose, vomit from something other than a drug overdose, a urine stream, and rattlesnake venom. At times it seems like he wanted to see just how much he could get away with.

Chazelle collaborators from LA LA LAND include cinematographer Linus Sandgren composer Justin Hurwitz, and Film Editor Tom Cross, all three are Oscar winners from that film, and all provide superb work here. The technical aspects of the film are terrific, it’s as a story (or stories) where things unravel. It’s simply bloated and overly ambitious, while having some of the frenetic pacing of Baz Luhrman’s MOULIN ROUGE! or THE GREAT GATSBY. It appears filmmaker Chazelle is attempting to reinforce cinema is art as a spectacle, when most of us don’t require more proof. The movie montage at the end is fun to watch, but strikes this viewer as a bit indulgent after a long movie. Buckle up for a wild ride and enjoy the good stuff.

Opens in theaters on December 23, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

CORSAGE (2022)

December 23, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Royals are having a moment. Well, actually, the Royals have had a few hundred years of moments … but now, they are having their moment in the entertainment world. It seems almost everyone watched “Downton Abbey” and now “The Crown”, and last year we saw Kristen Stewart’s Oscar nominated performance as Lady Di in SPENCER. Of course, there have been countless other films focused on Kings and Queens and other royal types, and now writer-director Marie Krutzer (THE GROUND BENEATH MY FEET, 2019) serves up a (mostly) fictional account of Empress Elisabeth of Austria from the 19th century.

Vicky Krieps (PHANTOM THREAD, 2017) delivers a wonderful performance as Empress Elisabeth, also known as Sissi. It’s late 1877 and we follow her through one year of life … the year she turns 40. Now that’s an age that generates consternation amongst many, but for an Empress obsessed with age and beauty, and one considered a fashion icon of the era, it’s nearly traumatizing for her. She struggles with her weight and though she’s not often seen in public, she constantly worries about the people’s perception of her physical appearance. This leads to the torturous tightening of her corset (referenced in the film’s title).

Filmmaker Krutzer presents Sissi as the epitome of a life of entitlement, and one who has little purpose or happiness. Her young daughter and older son are mere afterthoughts to her, and instead she pursues hobbies such as horseback riding and fencing. Her marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph (Florian Teichtmeister) seems mostly absent of love (although history tells us otherwise), and his affairs feed her insecurities surrounding her age.

On screen captions walk us through the timeline and numerous locations so that we always know where the Empress is and how long she stays. There is a particular sequence that historians should appreciate, as the Empress meets Louis Le Prince (Finnegan Oldfield), the inventor of an early motion picture camera. He chooses the Empress as a subject for his camera, and we witness the results. The historical relevance is with Le Prince and not the action shots of the Empress, as those (and their meeting) are quite fictional.

An unusual mix of music includes a version of Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make it Through the Night” and an especially enjoyable version of “As Tears Go By” (written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards), as well as terrific music from Camille Dalmais. In many ways, this is Marie Krutzer’s love letter to a long ago royal, however it’s clearly a fictional depiction since the manner of death is so dramatically changed in type and timing. Ms. Krieps allows us to feel the frustrations of time felt by the Empress, and we understand the body double approach (replete with matching anchor tattoos). Subtle humor is injected periodically, and maybe the best is the doctor explaining how “harmless” the new drug heroin is. There is plenty here for those attracted to “royal” stories.

Opens in theaters on December 23, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE PALE BLUE EYE (2022)

December 23, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. This is Scott Cooper’s sixth film to write and direct, and I have found each of them interesting. He has a style that leans towards atmospheric with meticulous pacing, and this latest fits the mold. Cooper’s films include CRAZY HEART (2009) and this will make his third collaboration with Oscar winner Christian Bale (HOSTILES, 2017, and OUT OF THE FURNACE, 2013).

Cooper adapted this screenplay from Louis Bayard’s 2003 novel, and it’s set in 1830 in the early stages of the West Point Academy in Hudson Valley, New York. It’s a fictional murder mystery with a couple of intriguing characters. When a cadet is found hanging from a tree with his heart removed, Colonel Thayer (Timothy Spall sporting full Spall scowl) and Captain Hitchcock (Simon McBurney) summon retired constable/detective Augustus Landor (Bale) to quietly and discreetly solve the case to prevent unwanted attention on the Academy. Landor is renowned for solving tough cases, but as a widower, he’s also weary and has an affinity for the bottle.

It may seem odd for a West Point film to open with the Edgar Allan Poe quote, “The boundaries which divide life from death are at best shadowy and vague.” However, it doesn’t take long for this to make sense, as shortly after Landor arrives, he asks the inquisitive Cadet E.A. Poe (Harry Melling, Dudley in the Harry Potter movies) to assist with the investigation. That’s right, the infamous dark poet who wrote such classics as “The Raven”, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”, “The Pit and the Pendulum”, and most fittingly, “The Tell-Tale Heart”, actually spent some time at West Point prior to focusing on his short stories and poetry. Cadet jumps at the chance to work with super sleuth Landor, and as you would expect, things get messy and complicated rather quickly.

Soon, Landor is consulting with occult specialist Jean Pepe (Oscar winner Robert Duvall), who fills him in on Henri LeClerc and the instruction guide to gaining immortality. By this time, Landor has interviewed Dr. Daniel Marquis (Toby Jones) who performed the autopsy, and Cadet Poe has romantic leanings towards the doctor’s daughter Lea (Lucy Boynton, SING STREET, 2016), despite her cadet brother Artemis (Harry Lawtey) bullying him. Also in the picture is Julia Marquis (Gillian Anderson), the doctor’s quite bizarre wife who relishes her interaction with Poe and Landor.

Charlotte Gainsbourg has a small role as a barkeep at the local pub, but the first two acts of the film belong to Bale and Melling. That first hour and a half hooked me with the murder mystery and the strange characters, but I wasn’t prepared (or happy) for the sharp turn and the twist in the final act. Many of Cooper’s patented vista wide shots are included and cinematographer (and frequent Cooper collaborator) Masanobu Takayanagi excels with the eerie atmosphere aided by dark interiors lit by flickering candles. Though there are numerous references to Poe’s writings – the most obvious being a screeching crow and Landor’s name (Poe’s short story, “Landor’s Cottage”), but it’s the eerie atmosphere that is the film’s best asset. I did find it unusual for a film based on a U.S. military academy to feature so many Europeans in the cast, even if they are fine performers.

 Opens in theaters on December 23, 2022 and on Netflix beginning January 6, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

DFW FILM CRITICS ASSN – Top 10 Films 2022

December 20, 2022

Below is a link to the 2022 Film awards as voted by the members of the DFW Film Critics Association. Since I am a voting member of the group, I thought you might like to see the final tally. I will soon be posting my personal favorites of the year so stay tuned!

Happy Holidays to all!

DFW FILM CRITICS NAME “EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE” BEST FILM OF 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

BONES AND ALL (2022)

December 15, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Given the onslaught of Zombie movies over this past decade, the release of a film about first love between two fine young cannibals barely raises an eyebrow in regards to subject matter. However, when the film is directed by Luca Guadagnino, the man behind such films as CALL ME BY YOUR NAME (2017) and I AM LOVE (2007), well the interest level is quickly piqued, as we know the approach will be one that’s unique. David Kajganich, who collaborated with Guadagnino on SUSPIRIA (2018) and A BiGGER SPLASH (2015), adapted this screenplay from the 2016 novel by Camille DeAngelis.

Maren (a terrific Taylor Russell, WAVES, 2019) lives in a Virginia trailer park with her father (Andre Holland). He’s extremely protective of her and even locks her in the bedroom at night. The one time she sneaks out to meet some friends at a sleepover, her gruesome actions clue us in to the reason dad worries so much. Soon after, dad deserts Maren, leaving only some cash, her birth certificate, and a cassette tape he recorded detailing all he knows about her past and her rare disorder (a need to feed on human flesh). We get to listen to the cassette right along with Maren, which gives us the background we need to follow along.

This quickly turns into an ‘on the road’ movie as she begins the search for her birth mother. Traveling by bus, and shooting through her funds pretty quickly, Maren heads through Maryland and on to Ohio. Along the way, she crosses paths with two who prove crucial to the story. Sully (played by Oscar winner Mark Rylance, BRIDGE OF SPIES, 2015) is an eccentric oddity of a man with a soft-spoken manner who excels at twisting a phrase. Sully explains what it means to be an “eater” … how their heightened sense of smell allows them to identify others, and his own rule of “never eat an eater”, a rule Maren later discovers isn’t a true industry standard. The first Sully sequence is difficult to watch, yet Guadagnino finds a way to film this that minimizes the visible gore without losing any impact on viewers … or Maren. Sully also shares that he carries trophies of his victims, yet another creepy aspect of this full-scale creepy dude.

Maren’s next key ‘meet’ is Lee (Timothee Chalamet, a Guadagnino returnee from CALL ME BY YOUR NAME). Chalamet plays right into his strength as a low-key performer. This character just happens to kill people and eat them. It should be noted that this is a biological need for these characters … in fact, they have a conversation about being “nice.” Lee and Maren fall for each other much the same as any other young lovers fall for each other. It’s just that their dates often involve ingesting human flesh and blood. Lee’s only real personality seems to be his obsession with 1980’s rock, and he gets to cut loose on KISS’s “Lick it Up”.

The impressive supporting cast includes Chloe Sevigny, Michael Stuhlbarg, David Gordon Green, Sean Bridgers, and Jessica Harper. The road trip continues through Kentucky (where we see a Chia Pet at Lee’s sister’s house), Iowa, Minnesota (Maren’s roots), and Nebraska. A trip to the sanitarium brings unfortunate closer for one of the characters, and it should be stressed that these are teen cannibals, not zombies. These two lovebirds do not possess the giant egos of Mickey and Mallory in NATURAL BORN KILLERS (1994). Director Guadagnino has remarkably produced a love story that springs from these most disgusting traits and urges, and he has done so with the unorthodox screen presence of his three lead actors.

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Posted by David Ferguson

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