Strange Darling Movie Review: Masterfully subverts slasher genre conventions

Colour red permeates every single frame of Strange Darling, actor-director JT Mollner's subversive new thriller that explores the potential perils of unchecked sexual desires and impulses in the form of a serial killer film. It is in everything, from the title cards to a Ford Pinto car to the clothing of the leads to the cocaine-snorting straw that one of them uses. It is sometimes deceptive, other times a foreboding sign of the terror and bloodshed that lie ahead in the story, and at other times a symbol of unhinged, passionate love.

Director: JT Mollner

Cast: Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Ed Begley Jr, Barbara Hershey

The film begins with a long piece of text conveying that it chronicles the last few crimes of a serial killer. Then, it cuts to the image of a woman running away from something or someone dangerous. Soon, you see the same woman in the red Pinto car trying to evade a man carrying a gun and baying for her blood. The intensity of the grotesque scene paves the way to a different chapter in their lives, a calmer one where they have a conversation that effectively serves as foreplay to a one-night stand. The conversation alludes to the risks that a woman takes whenever she agrees to have sex with a stranger. The serene conversation stops abruptly with a shift in timeline, with the same man and woman playing cat and mouse, so to speak. Mollner continues the nonlinear narrative style until the intermission, which is where the film starts to peel off its layers. The nonlinear approach adds a sense of intrigue to the goings-on and sets the rest of the film up nicely, cueing us in on a tantalising thriller with deeper undertones than your average slasher film.

The highlights of Strange Darling are the performances of its two leads, the contrasting use of soothing music amid all the violence that unfolds on screen, and actor-cinematographer Giovanni Ribisi’s visuals. The contrast between the music and violent acts forces you to confront the complexities of human desire and the consequences of uncontrolled impulses. Ribisi’s cinematography depicts the delirious day in the life of a serial killer vividly on screen while weaving in an element of perspective with his different POV shots. Take the shots of the same woman running away at two different phases of the film. The first time it occurs, you sense that she is in danger and merely running away from the perpetrator. And the second shot suggests that she is running away not just from someone but from life itself. Ribisi’s framing creates delirium, tension, and movement that often makes Strange Darling a spellbinding film to watch. The choice of soothing music, with the odd guitar riffs, adds weather to the characters and forces us to introspect their predicaments, whereas Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner’s performances add soul to the story. Fitzgerald’s eyes convey the deep-seated sense of pain in her character that potentially stems from longtime trauma and suffering. The actor delivers a performance that is as physical as one that brims with the quiet strength of a true fighter. To quote William Congreve, she is “a woman scorned,” who slowly unleashes her vengeful “fury”. The repeated use of the song 'Love Hurts' marinates in your head long enough and lends an additional dimension to the Fitzgerald character. On the other hand, Gallner brings out the twisted motivations, dark desires, and unsettling charm of his character with the relative ease of a true thespian. His ability to oscillate between menacing and vulnerable makes the character compelling.

The film showcases the talents of both actors in breakout performances. It also has other characters, some of whom make an impact despite the fleeting nature of their appearances. For example, a so-called “mountain woman” with a penchant to fire at the first sign of danger. Yet the biggest pleasure of Strange Darling is watching Gallner and Fitzgerald’s characters teem with sexual tension, even as Ribisi’s cinematography adds to the eroticism while underscoring the film’s underlying themes. The framing is especially evocative in a hotel room scene where the two hook up, with the red hues serving as a symbol of love and lust, foreshadowing the violent deeds that will ensue.