Dir. JT Mollner (2024)
A woman runs from a man that's trying to kill her after a one-night stand.
The psychosexual thriller is almost always a lot of fun when its done well, though it's rarely done well. A lot of films try to dig too deep into aberrant sexual behavior to make their impact, or they are too insistent on creating a "sexy" film that they fall far short of the thriller aspect. I've heard nothing but rave reviews about director JT Mollner's new film Strange Darling, with everything from TikTok testimonials to YouTube reviews filling my feed with people wanting me to see it. Well, I gave it a shot, and I can honestly say that it's one I'm glad I came across.
The Lady (Willa Fitzgerald) is on the run from The Demon (Kyle Gallner), who is chasing her through the woods after running her car off the road and taking shots at her from his rifle. As the film progresses through the backstory and back to present day, the audience learns how The Lady got into this predicament and is taken on a shocking journey of sex, crime, and madness. As the kill count rises, the two characters face off in a life-or-death struggle where it begins to feel like no one will come out on top.
Billed as one of the most shocking films of the year, Strange Darling is a bizarre thrill ride with some of the best performances I've seen in a long time. It's twisty, super violent, and a jarring psychosexual thriller with some stellar performances and a super unique plot structure. Told in six parts in non-chronological order, it's one that indie film fans will really enjoy. It's an impressive film, one that feels a lot more like "cinema" than a lot of films that have attempted the same feel, and while the twists in the film aren't entirely unexpected for more astute film fans, its surprisingly well done an effectively executed.
Fitzgerald is phenomenal in the role, and it's a no-holds-barred performance that is one of the best I've seen all year. She really steps outside of her comfort zone in delivering a layered performance that took a lot of guts to pull off, and she absolutely knocks it out of the park. Gallner is, likewise, fantastic, and he's scary and surprisingly nuanced for a guy who's basically chasing her for the majority of the film. They play off of each other very well, and the two actors are entirely what makes the film worth watching.
To be honest, there's really nothing about the film that doesn't work. Mollner's direction is nearly flawless, and while it can be a bit hard to parse because of the non-traditional plot device used to tell the story, it's well worth trying to follow along. The violence is sparingly used and very well done, and the twists are handled to perfection to really maximize their impact and flesh out their meaning. Strange Darling is David Lynch as told by Quentin Tarantino, and it's one of the better indie films I've seen this year. Though, to be fair, it is barely indie, with Miramax producing the film. It's a high production value, and Mollner gets the absolute most out of his script and the actors involved, including cameos from Barbara Hershey and Ed Begley, Jr.
It's rare that I'm shocked by a film, but Strange Darling definitely manages to do it. It's not the twist so much as it is the bravery to make a film like this in an industry that seemingly has been forced to dumb down its content for the lowest common denominator as of late. While it's definitely not the best film I've seen this year, it's certainly in the Top 10, and I truly commend the cast and crew for putting something like this out there. I've heard nothing but good things, and if you're hearing the same things I am, allow my voice to be another commendation for a film that very much deserves it.
Who this movie is for: Indie thriller fans, Psychosexual thriller aficionados, Woods hippies
Bottom line: Strange Darling is a bizarre film with some stellar twists and two incredible performances from its leads. It's violent, shocking, and has an excellent script from director JT Mollner. It's a must see film, one of my favorites of the year, and I'm hoping you'll enjoy it just as much as I did. Have some patience with the plot, and just sit back and enjoy the ride.
