Trigger warning: Please note, this film contains scene which depict sexual and domestic violence. Please take care if you choose to watch it. If you need to talk to someone, please contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).
Psycho thrillers typically follow a preconceived sequence where you often know what to expect. Strange Darling totally exceeded my expectations and offered something different. I walked out of the cinema with my mind blown and my jaw on the floor.
The movie opens with a scene of a young woman being pursued by an armed, drug-fueled assailant. Interestingly, this first scene is the catalyst for the creation of this movie. In an interview with Forbes, writer-director JT Mollner talks about how he could so vividly imagine this scene while he was out on a hike, and how it prompted him to flesh out a script.
This thought process could explain the final presentation of Strange Darling. The film is broken up into six chapters, which are not shown in chronological order. Instead, the movie jumps back and forth on the timeline jarring your perception of the plot. This plot device amplifies the suspense, making an already tense film even more chilling.
The movie was well-paced, with no unnecessary storytelling or redundant information. There was plenty of “edge of your seat” action without the overkill of a typical “guts and gore” horror movie. Additionally, the dark and grim tone of the film keeps the audience in a state of high alert throughout the movie.
“Strange Darling” was like the peeling of an onion, gradually untwisting more layers of the story in a cat and mouse style of plot twists. This movie makes you think that left is right, up is down and black is white. It reminds you that people too can be deceiving; all is not as it seems.
And in the end, it all comes together perfectly.
Don’t miss this innovative thriller. Strange darling is now showing at Luna Leederville