JT Mollner’s Strange Darling has unnerving twists and turns, exquisite cinematography, and a star making turn from Willa Fitzgerald.
Director: JT Mollner
Genre: Thriller, Horror, Romance
Run Time: 96′
US Release: August 23, 2024 in theaters
UK Premiere: August 24, 2024 at FrightFest
UK Release: TBA
What an up and down year 2024 has been for the horror/thriller genre thus far. NEON’s Cuckoo was the first in this crop to startle me. Surprisingly, it only held that distinction by itself for one week, as Magenta Light Studios, along with production companies Miramax and Spooky Pictures came out swinging with Strange Darling. This film’s scares hit me on a psychological level and forced me to take a minute to remind myself that I was indeed still in my home.
Like with Cuckoo, I found myself engrossed in the world that Strange Darling built and fixated on the journey of our two lead characters. So much credit must be given to director/writer JT Mollner for this, as his screenplay kept me guessing up until the very end.
Then you have first time director of photography, Giovanni Ribisi (you may know him as an actor from James Cameron’s Avatar), who knocks it out of the park and makes this film stunning to look at. The cherry on top is the performance of Willa Fitzgerald (Wildcat) as the Lady, who is one of the most fascinating leads you will find in any film this year.
Strange Darling is a story designed to keep your mind moving from start to finish. It is centered on two characters, the Lady (Fitzgerald) and the Demon (Kyle Gallner, of Jennifer’s Body) who engage in a one-night stand. This encounter rapidly escalates into a serial killer’s brutal murder spree.
It is best to go into Strange Darling as blindly as possible. One trailer was all I needed and even that barely scratches the surface of what this narrative offers audiences. This thriller features a non-linear storyline, presenting viewers with six chapters over the course of 96 minutes and throwing them in at chapter four. You are immediately thrown off balance and rushing to put together the puzzle. Without any real pieces, you are left to just watch everything unfold. Thus, the non-linear storytelling works for this story as opposed to against it.
This method of storytelling also allows each twist, reveal, and turn to hit even harder. The second that you believe that you know where things are going, a rug is pulled out from under you and makes your mind reconsider everything you have seen up to that point. Even though I figured out a couple twists early on, I still did not have the full picture and that kept me engaged with the mystery. When everything came to light, I was not only gob smacked by the truth, but also felt a sense of satisfaction.
One of the best feelings that audiences can get from a horror/thriller, beyond the obvious frights, is that your time was not wasted. Strange Darling uses every minute of its runtime wisely and creates a unique, psychologically terrifying experience worth watching.
JT Mollner’s slow burn writing style is a bit comparable to Jordan Peele in that both make the audience think and are aware that leaving them with their thoughts and delivering minimal answers can elevate their sense of unease. Being able to bottle up that fear and keep viewers on their toes can truly create a scarier environment than any amount of jump scares or gore. This narrative appeals to our desire for answers before proceeding to take its sweet time unraveling the truth. Each reveal sends a chill up your spine, culminating in an ending that you will not have seen coming.
Giovanni Ribisi, for someone that has no previous experience as a director of photography, does a terrific job with Strange Darling. Shooting on 35mm film was an excellent choice because the final product has a sort of 70s throwback look that honestly fits the overall vibe of the narrative. Even though we are given an idea of when everything takes place, there is a sense of timelessness here and the way the film is shot leans into that. Ribisi frames everything well and gives everything such vibrancy with tons of color. So many of these frames were breathtaking, including a delightful split diopter shot. Let us hope that Ribisi continues to work on his craft and builds on this, because he certainly has talent behind the camera.
Speaking of talent, Willa Fitzgerald gives a performance for the ages here. She crafts a character who is sexy, gritty, unhinged, and completely mesmerizing. The Lady is bound to mess with you in many ways and you will not be able to take your eyes off Fitzgerald throughout. She is so good at capturing emotions and striking you right in the heart with something as simple as a stare.
The way her tone of voice shifts is enough to leave you horrified and yet not be filled with the desire to run away. Something about the Lady will force audiences to want to see her journey through to the end, no matter where it takes them. Fitzgerald completely loses herself in this role and left me in awe because of just how far she went. This performance should generate the kind of buzz to make her a star and she deserves it without a doubt.
Kyle Gallner is fantastic as the Demon and his chemistry with Fitzgerald shoots this film into the stratosphere. They play off each other so well and the results speak for themselves. The pair craft a compelling relationship that turns into this twisted nightmare and support each other. Both understand the concept of letting their fellow actor have their standout moment when the script calls for them, which makes the best parts of this narrative stick out even more.
If there is one complaint I have about Strange Darling, it is that I am not sure how well it will hold up to repeat viewings. The twists and subversion of viewers expectations play such a pivotal role in what makes this film great, so when those are known, I feel like it is bound to lose some of its impact. However, Willa Fitzgerald’s extraordinary work could prove to be enough for audiences to revisit this over and over.
Strange Darling is deeply unsettling and one of the most fascinating horror films of the year. The story will keep you guessing and features a lead performance from Willa Fitzgerald that will have your jaw on the floor. If you go in as blind as I did, you are in for one heck of a ride.
Strange Darling will be released in US theaters on August 23, 2024.
