By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
As the title implies, this is a strange movie, but refreshingly so. “Strange Darling” is an erotic thriller with an unconventional filmmaking approach that keeps the audience guessing. With an estimated budget of only $4 million, this film is propelled by a creative vision with surprising talent on both sides of the camera.
Looking for a fun one-night stand in a sparsely populated region of Oregon, The Lady (Willa Fitzgerald) meets The Demon (Kyle Gallner), turning a night of fulfilling debauchery into one of terror. A high stakes game of cat and mouse ensues with a serial killer on a murderous rampage leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. As the story unfolds, nothing is quite as it seems.
Writer/director JT Mollner depicts the telling of this story in a chapter style form, which is not unusual, but the non-linear way the chapters are presented is unique. Arranging the chapters out of order allows Mollner to disguise key moments and turning points in the film that lead to shocking revelations. What seems like a very straightforward plot is anything but, leading the audience down a captivating rabbit hole that turns into a twisted nightmare. Each chapter is exquisitely suspenseful, but in different ways each time.
Visually, JT’s visionary approach leads to very purposeful outcomes. With a number of films being shot digitally these days, Mollner commits to the use of 35mm film for a specific color palette and visual style. He uses bold, vibrant colors at times to elicit a certain reaction from viewers, while at other times he mutes these colors for specific alternate reactions. Another bold decision was having veteran actor Giovanni Ribisi be his cinematographer, which is his first time in that capacity, but it’s a decision that pays off nicely. The angles, combined with the color scheme and a very rural backdrop, creates an almost dreamlike scenario that gets shattered with sudden violence and gore.
Despite the artistic approach, it doesn’t fall into that common trap of style over substance, there is a clear purpose behind every filmmaking decision. Even the score is crafted with care, accentuating the dark undertones of the subject matter. The only unoriginal song in the film, “Love Hurts,” will certainly change the way viewers interpret that popular song in a comical way.
The dialogue is extremely well-written by Mollner, taking some of the pressure off the two main stars of the cast, who don’t have a lot of experience acting in these kinds of large roles. However, the characters are very complex so having skilled actors supply three dimensional performances is of paramount importance, and that’s exactly what Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner provide. Willa is a revelation, putting viewers on a seesaw as she transforms her character from what appears to be a stereotypical damsel in distress to a strong female lead with kinky sensibilities to someone with cunning survival skills. With such an electric performance that keeps viewers glued to the screen, it will hopefully translate to more starring roles for the young actress.
Kyle Gallner is an actor with a little more screen credit under his belt, touring the horror circuit in recent films like “Smile” and 2022’s “Scream.” He may have been forgettable in those prior roles, but he excels here. He elegantly portrays a character with dark tendencies who doesn’t quite fit the behavioral trademarks of his initial introduction, and as his character layers get peeled away, the audience is treated to a dynamic, multi-faceted performance. Gallner will next be reprising his role in “Smile 2,” which is scheduled for release in October.
Even though this film is more of a suspense thriller, horror fans will be delightfully surprised by the quality writing, presentation, the shocking violence and gore, and the incredible acting. “Strange Darling” will keep you on your toes and then sucker punch you when you least expect it. Just make sure you avoid spoilers before watching this low budget darling.
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