STRANGE DARLING is Best Served Cold

STRANGE DARLING (Blu-ray)

2024 / 96 min

FROM MAGENTA LIGHT STUDIOS

Review by Princess Pepper😺

Strange Darling is another one of those movies that knowing anything about the plot beforehand destroys the fun of watching it. And trust me, you want to go into this one cold because it’s one of the more surprising and original thrillers released this year.

So I’m gonna forgo the usual plot synopsis, other than saying it involves a one-night stand gone wrong and a serial killer. Strange Darling has a nonlinear narrative presented in six chapters, beginning with Chapter 3. But this isn’t some kind of gimmicky stunt by writer-director JT Mollner. To tell this story in sequence would totally ruin all of his surprises…most of which you will not see coming. It hooks us with a thrilling start that the comparatively dull first chapter wouldn’t have.

Strange Parking.

We’re frequently lured into thinking we know what’s happening. But just when you figure you’ve got the plot and characters pegged, another chapter comes along to undermine your assumptions. Every story turn is another piece of the puzzle which, when completed, reveals a a twisted, bloody picture. It’s only during Chapter 6 and the epilogue that the film becomes more conventional (and maybe just a bit draggier). But even with all the pieces now in place and the plot twists behind us, the wild and violent finale is worth sticking around for. 

The two main characters, The Lady and The Demon, are well conceived and benefit from lively performances by Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner. Elsewhere, the film is generally well-paced and looks really good, thanks to some impressive cinematography (by Giovanni Ribisi, of all people). A great little thriller, Strange Darling makes being misled a helluva lotta fun.