“Are you a serial killer?”
Bleeding, terrified and tearful, a woman (Willa Fitzgerald) flees through the woods. Behind her, a shotgun-wielding maniac (Kyle Gallner) is in relentless pursuit, determined to bring down his prey at any cost. Over the course of six chapters, Strange Darling explores who these people are and how a steamy hookup turned into the fight of one woman’s life.
Writer and director JT Mollner manipulates the rules of the game throughout this propulsive thriller, presenting its chapters out of order and subverting what has been learned every time. Stars Fitzgerald and Gallner are magnetic as The Lady and The Demon, with the former delivering a shocking performance which constantly evolves along with viewers’ perception of the character. Together, their chemistry is exhilerating, and Mollner uses the jumbled-up storytelling to toy with his audience, teasing Gallner’s turn from charming hookup to murderous cokehead through a devious ‘first’ chapter.
‘Men are afraid women will laugh at them. Women will kill them,’ goes the expression. The film plays on what has already been seen and what we know men are capable of when no-one is looking, heightening the tension as a kinky one-night stand takes a darker turn. The song Love Hurts is pointedly employed, and only becomes more relevant with time.
As a two-hander between predator and prey, it’s magnificently balanced, but also features colourful supporting performances from Ed Begley Jr. and Barbara Hershey as a pair of mountain people (shout-out to Begley Jr’s scene-stealing breakfast). Breaking Bad’s Steven Michael Quezada continues to not catch a break in law enforcement.
Shot on 35mm film by director of photography Giovanni Ribisi (yes, that one), its use of colour is as purposeful as the shuffled-up storytelling and bouts of explosive violence. Fitzgerald pops from the screen in bright red scrubs and, earlier (or later) a deep red wig. Around her, the rural American landscape is lushly shot, her motel room with The Demon both erotically charged and throbbing with a sense of deep unease.
Once the mask drops, the seams do become visible, and the film turns into something less unpredictable but even more vicious. Its purpose served, the storytelling device is reigned back in, the credits rolling where they are supposed to be. Its themes are difficult, some of its implications unpalatable, and it will stick with you long after that haunting final shot.
Ferocious, disorienting, difficult, electric, dangerous; all hold true of Strange Darling, assemble as you will.
STRANGE DARLING premiered at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest on August 24th and will be released in UK cinemas on September 20th.
