Strange Darling is a confronting, unique, cleverly twisting movie that covers a day in the life of one of the worst serial killers. The question is how do you review such a clever movie without giving anything away? Let’s see how I go.
The story involves two strangers hooking up, not an unusual premise for a movie. When the man (Kyle Gallner) and the woman (Willa Fitzgerald) adjourn to the Blue Angel hotel, the standard concerns arise, but this time the woman asks the usually unstated question.
“You’re not a serial killer are you?”
He assures her he isn’t.
But life isn’t that simple and this is after all, the retelling of a true story. The last killing spree of one of the world’s worst serial killers.
It’s impossible to look away as the woman hurtles through the Oregon wilderness, the armed, drugged-fueled man, closing in. A frightened, wounded woman wondering, is the moment. You may think you know what’s happening, but do you?
Shot on 35mm film, the movie has some difficult moments early on and indeed a couple of people did leave the cinema. However, that was a real shame as moments later the movie twister and began its fascinating trajectory.
As an audience member yelled out at one stage I pondered:
- It’s not often a movie surprises you, it’s even rarer when it surprises you more than once. It’s also not often that you see a story presented in a new way, in this instance a nonlinear telling of six parts;
- What a delight to see the audience treated with respect, to be presented with clues and left to work them out, rather than have things explained or hammered home;
- Some earlier action is difficult to watch but hang in there you will be rewarded;
- Both leads put in brilliant performances, none better than the other;
- I saw the trailer again today at the preview of another movie and it was a reminder of how clever this movie is.
- See it soon and gain bragging rights when it becomes a cult movie.
For more information go to Luna Cinemas
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