While other people do appear onscreen here and there, Strange Darling is essentially a taut two-handed that pits Kyle Gallner and Willa Fitzgerald against one another for most of the runtime. A lot of people loved it. I did not.
Fitzgerald plays a character just called The Lady. Gallner’s character is named The Demon. That sums up the apparent simplicity of what is being presented here, but it is a simplicity that is due to be subverted and toyed with, considering the non-chronological presentation of the various chapters in the story.
There’s some good stuff here, especially when you consider that it is only the second full feature from writer-director JT Mollner. One or two moments have a nice layering of tension as we watch a couple plan and play with various roles in the bedroom, but they are too quickly forgotten when the film turns to what ends up being a far less interesting cat and mouse affair.
I can see why Mollner decided to play with the chronology of the screenplay, but I am not entirely sure that he made the best decision. This might have worked better in a more linear fashion, as long as one or two details were tweaked or moved around to wherever they could be most effectively revealed, as the appearance of the numbered chapters almost immediately clue film fans in to the fact that they are not necessarily being given the full picture.
It’s a major plus point that the leads are so good though. Gallner has been delivering fantastic performances in films for a good few years now, I look forward to his appearances (even in films not worthy of his talent), and Fitzgerald sinks her teeth into the kind of role that feels like an announcement of the next phase of her film career. Both actors do fantastic work with what they’re given, and I will mention how pleased I was to see small roles for Ed Begley Jr. and Barbara Hershey.
The biggest problem with Strange Darling is how easy it is to see the process. Mollner clearly had one or two key images in his mind, which he then developed into something he hoped would surprise, and possibly shock, viewers. But those familiar with any film like this will find the prospective surprises completely unsurprising, and there aren’t many major shocks when the direction of everything becomes clear. A good final scene helps though, but it’s not enough for me to love this as fully and fervently as many others seemed to.
6/10
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