STRANGE DARLING
Kyle Gallner, undisputed Scream King (and my secret music boyfriend), stars alongside Willa Fitzgerald in JT Mollner‘s bonkers thriller STRANGE DARLING. Popcorn Frights 2024 audiences finally witness the unbelievable story of a famed serial killer. Told through six chapters, although nonlinear, this shocking film is here is f*ck you up.
Opening with a Texas Chainsaw-inspired crawl, the audience is thrust into violent chaos, beginning with Chapter 3. The relentless pursuit and full-blown disturbing, but hold on a gosh darn minute. Christopher Robin Bell’s editing keeps us in a state of agitated panic. I know that device drives some people crazy. Here, it heightens every aspect of their dynamic. It all feels so personal that you need to comprehend the depravity.
Augmented color choices in STRANGE DARLING give the film a devilish and addicting quality. The score is grating and decidedly ominous- A genuine compliment. The lighting is simply delicious. The soundtrack is fire, as the kids say.
Gallner is a genius. This unhinged performance feels dangerous. Even more so than his role in The Passengers. Willa Fitzgerald delivers an award-worthy turn. She is fierce as hell and totally deranged. It is nothing short of a wow.
Fitzgerald and Gallner’s chemistry is sick. There is an undeniable electricity between them, and it’s like watching a a sexy car crash happen in real time. The plot is spectacularly unpredictable. Don’t bother guessing from moment to moment, even though Mollner’s script hypes you up to do so. The sheer number of “Oh Shit” moments! Slow clap, sir.
If you want to talk about boundary-pushing movies, STRANGE DARLING is up there with the best. There is an eccentricity that lands somewhere between A Wounded Fawn and Megalomaniac. Yeah, I know that’s a broad spectrum. This twisted erotic fantasy bends until it breaks. It stokes a conversation about kink and consent, power and obsession, and, believe it or not, gender bias. The final shot is genre heaven. Few films are perfect. STRANGE DARLING is perfect.
YEAR: 2023
COUNTRY: USA
RUNTIME: 96 min
DIRECTOR: JT Mollner
WRITER: JT Mollner
STARRING: Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Barbara Hershey, Giovanni Ribisi
presents
The performances are outstanding. Truly scary shit. Kyle Gallner as Drew is the good guy, the brains behind the operation. His dedication to Max and Lane may be his ultimate downfall. Gallner is deep in this role, which is no surprise. I am a huge fan of his eclectic body of work. This is no exception. Ryan Guzman as Max is the perfect self-obsessed asshole. Guzman plays the victim very well but walks a phenomenal line between the need for attention and contrition. But it is the performance from Alix Angelis that is fully immersed in terror and sheer brilliance. The entirety of the film’s success is driven by her insane work, and I do mean work. She must have been exhausted after every take.
The practical fx missed with the sound editing made me almost vomit. It took me way too long to catch my breath. The look of the film is spot on. The camera work is cool as hell. But it is the storyline that will suck you in. The entire plot is centered around confession. This demon is looking for something very specific and until then, it will torture and kill until it is satisfied. I could not tear my eyes away from the screen even when I wanted to. Writer/director Damien LeVeck and co-writer Aaron Horwitz know exactly what they’re doing. The social commentary is unmistakable. The Cleansing Hour is full tilt, batshit crazy. The ending… you’ll never see it coming. Stay. Through. The. Credits.
Presents
Oliver Thompson‘s duel role as writer and director suits this indie gem to a T. Stylistically vibrant and charming, WELCOME TO HAPPINESS is something akin to ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND in look and quirk factor, but most assuredly has its very own unique voice. The colorful cinematography is a brilliant reflection of each character’s momentary mood. The plot has intrinsically intertwined story lines and is full of surprisingly insightful glee all while tackling the ghost of depression. Thompson has achieved quite the feat, no doubt. 
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