Emily the Criminal

By: Andrew Wing

Emily the Criminal is a 2022 American crime drama film written and directed by John Patton Ford. It stars Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation, Safety Not Guaranteed), Theo Rossi (Sons of Anarchy), Megalyn Echikunwoke (Night School), and Gina Gershon (Bound).

Emily (Plaza), who is saddled with student debt and locked out of the job market due to a minor criminal record, gets involved in a credit card scam that pulls her into the criminal underworld of Los Angeles, ultimately leading to deadly consequences.

It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2022, and was released in the United States on August 12, 2022, by Vertical Entertainment and Roadside Attractions.

THE GOOD

Ever since premiering at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Emily the Criminal has been one of my most anticipated movies to check out mainly because of the widespread positive reviews it has gotten. Another reason for my excitement was the inclusion of Aubrey Plaza, an actress I am a huge fan of. Plaza is largely known for her hilarious role in Parks and Recreation, but for the past five years I have been really impressed with some of her dramatic performances in small indie films like Ingrid Goes West and Black Bear, so I was pumped to see if she could go up another level with her performance in Emily the Criminal. So with that said, was this Plaza’s career-best performance? Keep reading to find out!

IT WAS! I mentioned some of her other performances, but I really do think this is the best. Plaza’s character is a woman who gets slowly integrated into a world of crime, specifically credit card fraud, and the way she portrayed this character’s descent into madness if you will call it that, was remarkable. It was so fun as we got to discover what this character had up her sleeve the deeper we got into the story, and it was just so fun to watch Aubrey Plaza become an absolute badass in this world of crime. She just continues to stretch her limits as an actress in these indie films, and I’m just buying all the stock in her. She carries this film with ease, she has the range to do anything, and it’s not surprising the legendary Francis Ford Coppola recently cast her to be in his highly anticipated Megalopolis, which will feature her starring alongside my favorite actor Adam Driver. 

There’s no denying that Plaza stole the show here thanks to her performance, but this is just a solid crime drama film at the end of the day. It was written and directed by John Patton Ford and I was just really impressed by what he did with his feature film debut. The movie is a thriller that starts in a really grounded place which I was a fan of. That grounded feel made the way the story unfolded surprising when things started to escalate and it was just a very good script full of well-written characters. As good as his writing was, the direction though was great. The film is very tense and anxiety-inducing and Ford just did a fantastic job of heightening the tension at all the right spots

I usually don’t dive super deep into my movie reviews, but for this one, I will. So continuing with my praise for Ford, I liked the film’s commentary on how once someone is labeled a criminal and has a criminal record, no matter how small and harmless the crime might have been, you are forever deemed a criminal by society and that makes it extremely hard to get a job and make a living. We obviously see this firsthand with Plaza’s character Emily, who believes more in being a criminal than capitalism because she’s drowning in student loans. I don’t know, I’m not saying I’m pro-being a criminal, but I just thought it gave the film another layer of depth and made the character of Emily extremely relatable despite her criminal nature.

Before I wrap up the good, there are some more things I want to give some love to when it comes to Emily the Criminal, the first being Theo Rossi. I remember Rossi from his small supporting role in Sons of Anarchy, but he just crushed it here. His character was given a lot and Rossi’s performance just made you like his character who was also a criminal and made you see him as this warm, genuine person. The editing too here from Harrison Atkins was awesome. I was locked in from the start and the 93 minutes runtime was perfect. The cinematography was solid too and being a big fan of close-ups, I loved all of the close-ups we got in this film, so shoutout to cinematographer Jeff Bierman.

THE BAD

As much as I enjoyed this movie, the reason for my score which you’ll see shortly is simply because I don’t know if I can say the movie did anything exceptionally. Don’t get me wrong, this is a solid straightforward thriller with great performances, but I just can’t put it in that upper echelon of crime drama films which there are aplenty. Also, and I say this a lot when I critique movies, but I just wanted to see them dive a bit deeper into the world they were showing to us. I just wanted to see this movie try to take things a step further and I think it not doing that is why I didn’t totally love the ending. Other than that small gripe of mine though, there’s nothing bad about this movie and I have a hard time seeing anyone not enjoy Emily the Criminal.

THE VERDICT

Behind a career-best performance from Aubrey Plaza, Emily the Criminal is a thrilling crime drama from John Patton Ford in his feature film debut. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s rock solid and just such an easy-to-watch film that you’re going to be locked into from start to finish thanks to both its crisp editing from Harrison Atkins and its perfect runtime of 93 minutes.

TED TAKES RATING - 8/10

Emily the Criminal is now available for rent or purchase on demand. Check out the latest trailer below.

Bros

Bros is a 2022 romantic comedy film directed by Nicholas Stoller from a screenplay he co-wrote with Billy Eichner, who also stars and executive produces. Stoller and Judd Apatow are producers of the film. Stoller has quite the resume in the world of comedy, having previously directed Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), Get Him to the Greek (2010) (which he also wrote), and Neighbors (2014). Bros had its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2022.

Bobby Lieber, an "out and proud but also scared and self-doubting" New York museum curator, is hired to write a romantic comedy about a gay couple. Along the way, he meets—and eventually falls in love with—Aaron, a "macho" lawyer.

The cast includes Billy Eichner, Luke Macfarlane, Bowen Yang, Guy Branum, Harvey Fierstein, Ts Madison, Dot-Marie Jones, Monica Raymund, Eve Lindley, Guillermo Díaz, Amanda Bearse, Miss Lawrence, Ryan Faucett, and Jim Rash.

Bros made its debut in theaters on September 30th, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

THE GOOD

Once I hear the name Judd Apatow, I am already reaching for my debit card ready to buy a ticket. The guy does not miss in my mind and is the man when it comes to comedies with substance and a real story you can get behind. Granted he is only attached to the project as a producer, but his name means something in the business. After watching the initial trailer for the movie I was genuinely excited, it just felt like an Apatow movie. And after the incredibly positive feedback from earlier screenings, I was all in. Plus, life is hard sometimes so we need to jump at the opportunity to escape for around two hours by seeing a comedy like Bros in theaters. So, does it do the Apatow name justice or fail to meet expectations? Keep reading to find out!

I had a ton of fun with this movie, and I can say without a doubt it met my expectations. Once again Judd Apatow’s name is worth its weight in gold. I laughed out loud a ton, but more than anything else I had a really good time from start to finish, and the movie absolutely flew by. I will say right out of the gate Bros will likely divide audiences which I will talk about later in the review, but I thought it was hilarious, well-intentioned, and just an enjoyable escape to Provincetown (a gay reference, obviously). I really enjoyed the characters and all of their erratic personalities and felt like the story was intriguing enough to get me invested even though it was formulaic and fairly predictable as are most romantic comedies, although I think that may have been the point. I really liked the New York setting, although it was filmed in New Jersey. I also liked the references to Hallmark movies and the Hallmark Channel in general which my wife is next-level obsessed with. Star Luke Macfarlane, a straight man in real-life, actually got his start in Hallmark movies although my wife isn’t sure if she has seen any of them. The film is packed full of great one-liners, a surprising amount of depth when it comes to navigating relationships, and the undeniable fact that men will do anything to avoid talking about anything emotional with each other, and this is regardless of sexual preference.

I thought the writing was fantastic and without a doubt the primary reason why Bros is getting so much praise from critics. Director Nicholas Stoller co-wrote the screenplay with star Billy Eichner, a very openly gay comedian and New York native who seemingly plays himself in the movie. Stoller is extremely talented when it comes to putting together a quality story for a comedy, and love him or hate him Eichner plays to his strengths here and essentially adds his own level of expertise when it comes to the subject matter of the film. Bros perfectly mocks all sexual orientations, from straight, to bisexual, to transexual, but it especially rips gay people in hilarious fashion. I know women often feel like they are getting looked at like they are nothing more than a piece of meat, but I have visited gay clubs before (long story) and I have never been more uncomfortable, so I get it. Gay people have no filter, absolutely LOVE to party and hit the club scene, and they really are hilarious more often than not.

Bottom line, all of the funniest comedians are great at making fun of themselves, which allows for infinite material as they tend to refer to their own personal experiences. This felt like an opportunity for Eichner to mock the absolutely ridiculous world of gay men, from Tinder to Grindr, and to point out why the perception of gay men is often all wrong. Also, the portrayal of what Tinder is like is pretty spot on (I had a short and fairly successful run myself), but I will say that the ladies are far less aggressive than the men. Not to say I didn’t have a scenario or two where a very aggressive female asked to include their boyfriend 5-minutes before I left to meet her, but that is ancient history. Spoiler alert, I stayed home. But seriously, Bros makes fun of literally everything. Men of all sexual orientations, lack of commitment, meathead guys and working out in general (specifically CrossFit which I thought was hilarious), and anything and everything that has to do with how uncomfortable dating can be. The bread and butter of Bros is the mocking of pretty much every stereotype you can think of, and in my mind, that is a big part of what makes it so damn funny.

I touched on it briefly but I thought the cast was great. Eichner is perfect in his role, although he is annoying at times but that is likely by design. He often mocks straight men playing gay men in movies, and I can say without a doubt that he was able to become this character because as I mentioned, it is basically him in real life. I really liked Luke Macfarlane and thought the chemistry he had with Eichner was perfect. I assume a straight man playing a gay man, alongside a gay man basically playing himself, is not easy and probably uncomfortable at times, but he was great. The relationship between the two felt genuine, which allowed the story, as predictable as it was, to hold that much more weight. I honestly enjoyed the majority of the supporting cast, especially Guy Branum as that token friend you go out to bars with, but my favorite supporting character even though he had limited screen-time was Oscar-winning actor Jim Rash. He was hilarious during the constant back-and-forth bickering as he played the “underappreciated” bisexual man, and this role was just perfect for him. I won’t go too in-depth on the supporting cast as the leads definitely steal the show, but I thought everyone did a great job. Dot-Marie Jones crushed it as the no-filter lesbian of the group, and one scene in particular towards the end of the film was just perfect. Plus, Will & Grace star Debra Messing playing herself was just glorious. And lastly, I just have to give a shout-out to director Nicholas Stoller who continues to serve up hilarious content.

THE BAD

I mean, the reality is Bros is not for everyone. If you have any sensitivity at all to sexual situations involving gay men, you better steer clear. If you are homophobic, I wouldn’t even drive by the theater while the movie is playing. Am I being a bit ridiculous? Sure, but this movie does not hold back although to be fair you get more full-frontal male nudity in Game of Thrones. The majority of what you will see is fairly classy I guess you could say, most of the “hardcore” sexual nature of the film takes place off-screen or makes viewers use their imagination. But if you are uncomfortable with half-naked men who can’t seem to keep their hands off each other, this will be a difficult watch. I don’t want to go down this rabbit hole too deep, but I find it interesting how fired up people are getting about this movie.

First, you have the homophobic demographic who had zero interest in seeing the movie from the start, then after the movie bombed at the box office opening weekend, you have comedian and star Billy Eichner basically calling out straight people on Twitter for refusing to see the movie, and more or less accusing them of being homophobic. Now listen Billy, you were great in the movie but you do essentially portray the cocky persona you have on social media (and seemingly in real life), and calling out straight people is not a good way to get butts in the seats, pun intended. People saying that seeing a romantic comedy about gay people would be weird for a straight couple are idiots because for one I tried to get my wife to see it with me (sort of glad she didn’t because she would have been drooling over Macfarlane) but she was willing to, and I know for a fact that Andrew and his girlfriend were hoping to (and likely will) see it together.

Am I more comfortable with my sexual orientation than most? Can I appreciate a movie for what it is and ignore the BS surrounding it? Honestly, at the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter. In the era of social media basically running our lives people just like to get angry about things just to add meaning to their mundane existence, and sorry to say but Billy is playing right into the hands of these idiots (and by idiots I am referring to all sexual orientations, for the record). If they can keep this guy off social media for a few weeks and people stop pissing and moaning for a change, I think Bros will end up doing just fine at the box office.

THE VERDICT

Taking every opportunity to mock all sexual orientations equally while providing a ton of laughs along the way, Bros is a very well-written romantic comedy that plays to the strengths of its leading men while offering a surprisingly relatable albeit predictable story. The more I think about this movie, the more I appreciate the writing and all of the little details. As funny as it is, the ability to hang on to a story that has genuine substance in the face of rom-com predictability is an achievement. But again, are we really that surprised considering Judd Apatow’s involvement?

Do you need to sign a waiver saying you are comfortable with your sexuality before seeing the movie? Absolutely not, but if you are narrow-minded or homophobic it will be difficult to watch (refer to the “bad” section). But listen, two older ladies who were easily in their late 60s were in the theater and they had a blast, and I don’t need to tell you how things were “back in their day”. Bombing at the box office opening weekend has been a big topic and I do believe that releasing during horror movie season and not let’s say Valentine’s Day was a weird decision, but if you can ignore the noise and appreciate this movie for what it is, Bros is absolutely worth seeing in theaters and I may even see it a second time.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.1/10

Bros is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Don't Worry Darling

Don't Worry Darling is a 2022 psychological thriller film directed by Olivia Wilde. The screenplay was written by Katie Silberman, based on a story by Carey van Dyke, Shane Van Dyke, and Silberman. The film is produced by New Line Cinema and Vertigo Entertainment.

In the 1950s, Alice and Jack live in the idealized community of Victory, an experimental company town that houses the men who work on a top-secret project. While the husbands toil away, the wives get to enjoy the beauty, luxury and debauchery of their seemingly perfect paradise. However, when cracks in her idyllic life begin to appear, exposing flashes of something sinister lurking below the surface, Alice can't help but question exactly what she's doing in Victory.

The cast includes Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Olivia Wilde, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne, Nick Kroll, and Chris Pine.

Don't Worry Darling released in theaters on September 23rd, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

THE GOOD

Andrew and I have both been chomping at the bit for Don’t Worry Darling to hit theaters, and unless you live under a rock you are surely familiar with the pre-release drama surrounding the film that was stirred up during the promotional press tour, and the inevitable gossip that plagues our society today. But considering the box office success for the film so far, I would say that the idea of any press is good press rings true. I won’t bore you with the details of the aforementioned drama, but I will admit that I was annoyed by it mainly because it took away from the films highly anticipated release. Nonetheless, I ignored the noise and made it a point to see Don’t Worry Darling in theaters as soon as I could, So, was it worth my time? Keep reading to find out!

Let me just say that proving the naysayers wrong felt like a breath of fresh air, and boy was it satisfying. Seriously, Don’t Worry Darling is a damn good movie, and what I would consider to be one of the more unique and original psychological thrillers in recent memory. What intrigued me about the film in the first place was the overall concept, and the fact that it was obvious something wasn’t right, but you just couldn’t quite put your finger on it. Just like the trailers, the film does a fantastic job of keeping you guessing, and it wasn’t until the very end that I was greeted with what I would consider to be the big reveal which absolutely caught me off guard.

Now I can easily compare Don’t Worry Darling to other films that fall within the sci-fi thriller genre, but that would likely give things away and as you should know, I am not one to spoil a movie for someone. Katie Silberman’s screenplay in collaboration with Carey and Shane Van Dyke’s story deserves its time in the sun, because this movie thrives on feel and that element of mystery and intrigue. I couldn’t get enough of it. I also really enjoy the 50’s era as far as the clothes and the colors, and especially the cars. I also really liked all of the subtle elements of the film, like what the heck was Pugh’s character watching all the time on the TV while she was vacuuming?! And the visions that her character experienced were just awesome, and terrifying at the same time. What a unique balance.

Aside from what I considered to be a uniquely captivating story, Don’t Worry Darling has a stellar cast and it all starts with Florence Pugh. The English actress has absolutely exploded on the scene ever since a strong year in 2019 where she starred in the horror thriller Midsommar (our review here) as well as the period drama, Little Women. She snagged a starring role as a real badass in Marvel’s Black Widow in 2021, and here she is lighting up the screen in 2022 as she delivers arguably one of the best performances of the year. No joke, Pugh is simply THAT GOOD in this movie. Each and every scene she is in is electric, and I found myself in constant awe of her performance.

Oh and did I mention how insanely sexy she is in this? Sorry if I made it weird. Pugh stars alongside pop star turned actor Harry Styles, who in my opinion delivers a solid performance. Now I have read the criticism of his acting in the film, but if anything he was at a disadvantage trying to match the absolute clinic put on by Pugh. Bottom line, Styles is making a name for himself in movies and for my money is doing a damn good job, but to try and be overly critical of his acting in Don’t Worry Darling feels like a lazy and jealous attempt to get him to focus on music. He is here to stay folks, deal with it. Oh, and get ready for his next big role in My Policeman (preview and trailer here) set for a limited theatrical release on October 21st before a streaming release on Prime Video.

Yet another unreal performance is delivered by talented actor Chris Pine, who damn near gave me chills as the films primary antagonist. The amount of mystery surrounding Pine’s character is a big driver for the films backstory, and I thought he was just fantastic in this role. The supporting cast was pretty solid all around in my opinion, but I especially enjoyed Nick Kroll playing his usual a-hole role he is so damn good at. Director Olivia Wilde also plays an important supporting role in the film, and I thought she was great as usual. I also enjoyed the role played by Timothy Simons, and felt like he made quite an impact in his limited screen-time. Gemma Chan is phenomenal as Pine’s authoritative and intense wife.

Don’t Worry Darling really shines on the technical side of things. First and foremost, composer John Powell’s score is simply epic. So much of the score helped immerse me in the excitement and intrigue of the films story, and for me this made for an exciting and rewarding experience. The film puts a premium on what I would consider to be the big three of film as far as giving viewers everything they want and need, which is music, cinematography, and quality editing. Matthew Libatique handled the cinematography duties and crushes it, and Affonso Gonçalves hits a home run on the editing side of things. One scene in particular towards the end of the film had this crazy Mad Max vibe to it, and the overall feel just made me want to stand up and clap with excitement. The final act of the film was fantastic, and much of that is attributed to the overall technical prowess. As a follow-up to her 2019 hit film Booksmart, Olivia Wilde has proven that she is a talented director and someone worth keeping an eye on.

THE BAD

Don’t Worry Darling is a very effective and extremely entertaining psychological thriller. Is it perfect? No, but in my mind the good far outweighs the bad. Some of the acting isn’t great at times, but as I touched on earlier I believe much of that is the disparity between Florence Pugh and the rest of the cast, minus Chris Pine and Gemma Chan, as far as overall acting ability. I know I said Harry Styles delivered a solid performance, which he did, but he did flutter at times but luckily it was not detrimental to the film mainly because Pugh carried the more dramatic scenes. I can’t really think of many issues with the screenplay or story as it kept me guessing and never dragged. Long story short, I was too busy enjoying Don’t Worry Darling and must have forgotten to pick it apart. As the cool kids say, ignore the haters. Plus, at the end of the day the overall impact of the film and whether or not it “works” depends on two performances, which is the tense game of tug-a-war between Florence Pugh and Chris Pine’s characters, and as a great sports analogy, they leave everything out on the field.

THE VERDICT

Anchored by a tremendous score, a captivating screenplay, and a career-defining performance from actress Florence Pugh, Don’t Worry Darling is a psychological thriller that will stick with audiences long after the credits roll. I can’t get this movie out of my head, and I am so glad I ignored the pre-release drama and the out of touch critics because this movie hit hard. I talked about how excited I was to see it earlier in the review, but I am still amazed that it was able to meet my expectations. It may not be perfect and the supporting cast sometimes struggles to match Pugh and her pure acting talent, but in no way does it take away from the overall impact of the film.

I just love when a movie is able to become an experience that you can take home with you, and that is what happened for me here. Plus, at just over 2-hours this movie flies by. Do yourself a favor by ignoring the behind-the-scenes gossip and give Don’t Worry Darling a chance in theaters, you won’t regret it.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.3/10

Don’t Worry Darling is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

See How They Run

By: Andrew Wing

See How They Run is a 2022 mystery comedy directed by Tom George, written by Mark Chappell, and produced by Damian Jones and Gina Carter. The film stars Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Green Mile), Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird, Little Women), Adrien Brody (The Pianist, King Kong), Ruth Wilson (Locke, Anna Karenina), Reece Shearsmith (Shaun of the Dead), Harris Dickinson (The King’s Man), and David Oyelowo (Selma, Rise of the Planet of the Apes).

In the West End of 1950s London, plans for a movie version of a smash-hit play come to an abrupt halt after a pivotal member of the crew is murdered. When world-weary Inspector Stoppard (Rockwell) and eager rookie Constable Stalker (Ronan) take on the case, the two find themselves thrown into a puzzling whodunit within the glamorously sordid theater underground, investigating the mysterious homicide at their own peril.

See How They Run was theatrically released by Searchlight Pictures in the United Kingdom on September 9, 2022, and in the United States one week later on September 16, 2022.

THE GOOD

Ever since Rian Johnson’s Knives Out hit the scene in 2019, I have been a huge fan of the whodunit genre. They are just so much fun and because of my fascination with the genre, I of course went ahead and consumed some of the classics of the genre like the legendary Sidney Lumet’s 1974 Murder on the Orient Express, Jonathan Lynn’s 1985 classic Clue, and recently Kenneth Brannagh’s Death on the Nile (see Ted’s full review here). All that said, once I saw the trailer for See How They Run, I was pumped. Not only because it was another whodunit, but also because it featured two of my favorite actors in Sam Rockwell, and arguably the best young actress right now in Saoirse Ronan. So was I right to be so excited, or was I rather let down? Keep reading to find out!

I can’t say that it matched my expectations, but it definitely did not let me down. Tom George’s feature film directorial debut was to put it simply, a good time. There was a lot I enjoyed about his direction here and I’m excited to see what he does next. I also was quite impressed with Mark Chappell’s screenplay. It is so hard to keep an audience on their toes and engaged nowadays and thanks to Chappell’s script that kept me guessing, I was locked in from start to finish and I was totally surprised by the epic conclusion this film had. I was pleased overall with what I got from them, and there were other smaller things I could touch on like the editing, production design, and music, but let’s dive into what put my butt in the seat in the first place, the cast!

It’s only right that I start with the woman who just fails to give a bad performance in anything she is in, and that is the extremely talented Saoirse Ronan. I obviously knew she had the comedic chops after watching her in Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird back in 2017, but I was blown away by how funny she was in this. You can ask my girlfriend who I saw it with, but I was literally chuckling at every line of dialogue her character had. Her chemistry with Sam Rockwell, who actually gave a great performance that was honestly unlike anything I’ve seen from him before, was amazing and the two of them definitely carried the film in my opinion.

Despite me having that sentiment, there were a number of other performances I enjoyed here. First with Tim Key, who played Commissioner Harrold Scott. Similar to Ronan, every line of dialogue he had made me laugh, and I was just really shocked at how much I enjoyed his presence in the film given that this was the first I had seen of him. I was also a big fan of Harris Dickinson’s small supporting comedic performance in this as the one and only Richard Attenborough, and I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but I think Harris Dickinson is a star in the making and I absolutely cannot wait to see him in Triangle of Sadness (watch the preview here) which comes out in just over a week. Oh and lastly, just like he did in The French Dispatch (see my full review here) from last year, Adrien Brody was just fantastic in his limited screen time.

THE BAD

Alright, this is difficult because there is no denying that See How They Run is a good movie. It’s a breezy watch with a unique story, but there was just something missing from me putting it in that upper echelon of the whodunit genre like the aforementioned Knives Out, which just so happens to be getting its own sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (watch the preview here).

I don’t know what it was, but some of the jokes fell flat for me, and maybe that’s because this film is very British when it comes to its sense of humor, and it was also just pretty cheesy if I had to be completely honest. More than that, there were some performances I just wasn’t a fan of, especially David Oyelowo’s. Now I think Oyelowo is an amazing actor, but I just didn’t love him in this particular film and I think it’s mainly because it’s a comedy and I strongly believe that Oyelowo is better suited for dramas.

THE VERDICT

Thanks to fantastic performances from the leads Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan, Tom George’s See How They Run is a good time from start to finish thanks to an engaging script full of perfectly dry British humor, making it a great addition to the whodunit genre.

Sure, it’s no Knives Out, but it’s still a breezy and bouncy watch that is well worth you making the trip to the theaters for!

TED TAKES RATING - 7.4/10

See How They Run is now playing at Smitty’s Cinema. Check out the latest trailer below.

Pearl

Pearl is a 2022 horror slasher from director Ti West, co-written by West and Mia Goth. The film is a joint-venture production of A24 and Little Lamb, and is the prequel to X (see our full review here), a film that was released earlier this year. The film is directed by Ti West, co-written by West and Mia Goth, who reprises her role as the titular character, and co-stars David Corenswet, Tandi Wright, Matthew Sutherland, and Emma Jenkins-Purro. Pearl, which had its world premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 3rd, was secretly filmed at the same time as X, which is pretty damn cool in my opinion.

In 1918, Pearl is a young woman living with her German immigrant parents on their Texas homestead while her husband, Howard, is serving in World War I. Pearl's father is infirm and paralyzed, and her domineering mother, Ruth, insists that she help care for both him and the farm. Pearl, longing for a more exciting life, is captivated by the films she sees at the local cinema leading her on a dangerous journey as she finds herself.

If the name Ti West doesn’t ring a bell, you may not be alone. Even if you have heard of him, you might think he is fairly new to the world of movies, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I can’t be the only person who for a hot minute thought he was new to the game when the first trailer for X made its debut, but lets be honest, if I see the A24 logo, I am immediately preordering my ticket without a second thought. Either way, I owe him an apology because as a horror fanatic, it is simply inexcusable on my part.

A horror lover at heart, West has dabbled in a bit of everything since he began his directing career back in 2001 with a few short films. In 2009, he wrote and directed the critically acclaimed horror film The House of the Devil, now streaming on Peacock and AMC+ if you are interested, as well as a segment of the 2012 anthology horror V/H/S, which is really good. West now has joined up with the crem de la crem of production companies and is making history with a fresh new throwback horror franchise.

Pearl was released in theaters on September 16th, courtesy of A24.

THE GOOD

I touched on a bit of his history, but Ti West is my guy. I feel like in many ways he is like my spirit animal as we both seemingly share a raw and passionate appreciation for throwback horror films. When I saw X in theaters, I was smiling from ear to ear the entire time. This guy just gets it, and as far as I can tell A24 is allowing him free reign as he builds this new horror franchise of his. The digital ink hadn’t even dried on my X review before I learned about the prequel, which was filmed back-to-back. Like what?! So crazy, but man was I pumped about this. Mia Goth and her dual performance was a big reason why X worked so well, and she was appropriately rewarded with a leading role in a main character’s origin story. So, after all of the buildup and anticipation, was Pearl all I hoped it would be? Keep reading to find out!

As expected, Pearl was fantastic. Right from the opening sequence, I was in awe of Ti West and his ability to give us that genuine feel of a story that takes place in the 1920s. West again goes with that technicolor style and what I would consider a dull yet vibrant color scheme throughout, which really had that throwback feel to it. The look perfectly matched the feel of the film, which was oddly upbeat when it came to Pearl and her odd and erratic behavior, while still very bleak and depressing as it relates to her feelings of being trapped in a life she desperately wants to escape. We have a pretty good idea of what to expect from Pearl as a character after watching her in X, but nothing can truly prepare you for the level of insanity she exhibits.

The film's core is a power struggle between Pearl and her overbearing mother Ruth, played by Tandi Wright. You feel for Ruth as she describes the unfairness and cruelty of what life dishes out as she is forced to care for her husband who due to an illness is now a shell of himself and confined to a wheelchair. Ruth makes it very clear that she expects Pearl to take on this massive burden as well, which leads to a very odd and often cringeworthy relationship between the troubled young lady and the man who raised her. The trajectory of Pearl’s character was simply amazing, which speaks to the writing collaboration between West and Goth. I also really liked the claustrophobic feel of the film which helped to make Pearl seem somewhat relatable, at least in the first half of the film. You will feel sympathy for Pearl early on, but trust me when I say that by the end, you will see her in an entirely new and terrifying light.

The bread and butter of the film is without a doubt the acting, and Mia Goth is simply phenomenal as Pearl. She was literally on another level and embodied the character to the point where we may never see her as anything other than the odd and psychotic woman living with her parents on this rural farm in West Texas. If you’ve been reading up on this movie at all, you surely heard about Goth’s 5-minute monologue at the conclusion of the film, and wow. Just wow. Goth, a native of Southwark, London, is incredibly talented and has a very bright future ahead of her. I touched on the performance of Tandi Wright briefly, but she was great as Pearl’s mother Ruth. The fact that she is not German in real-life blows my mind because of how convincing she was. You can feel the despair oozing from her facial expressions and mannerisms, and it is clear that she is a woman defeated yet unwilling to give up on the vows she made to her husband, while desperate to convince her daughter to share the same outlook. To say that it is a troubling family dynamic would be an understatement.

Although she played a supporting role, Emma Jenkins-Purro was crucial in her portrayal of Misty, Pearl’s sister-in-law, as she helped to reinforce the fact that something was very wrong with Pearl. I really liked David Corenswet in his role as The Projectionist and felt like his character offered a unique carefree attitude and outlook on life which just reminded Pearl of all that she was missing. He was also the person responsible for bringing out Pearl’s deepest desires leading to the character that we see in X. Matthew Sunderland was great as Pearl’s Father, especially considering that all he had at his disposal was facial expressions, and he made the most of them during the films final act.

Similar to X, Pearl shines on the technical side of things. From the unique directing style to the cinematography, right down to a fantastic score and soundtrack, everything came together nicely. I touched on it briefly but I loved the overall feel and look of the film, from something as simple as the way the cast and director credits hit the screen at the start, to the overall old-school look which just felt genuine. Eliot Rockett, who worked with West on the House of the Devil as well as X, returns as the film’s cinematographer. He took full advantage of the gorgeous New Zealand setting, and just created a very immersive experience. Composer Tyler Bates, who also worked on X, returns to share music duties with veteran Tim Williams. The score and soundtrack are pivotal for what West is trying to do and they come through yet again. I have to touch on the editing which is so damn good yet again. Ti West, who serves as director and co-writer, is also the editor for the film which makes a huge difference mainly because he has such a unique signature style. I could go on and on talking about the editing, but a specific sequence during the film’s final act was especially spectacular. The bottom line, you need to experience it for yourself. I was also impressed with the script which was a collaboration between West and Mia Goth, her first writing credit.

THE BAD

Pearl is a fantastic movie, but it is very different from X and for that reason not quite as enjoyable in comparison, although thankfully it does retain that signature style. But, let me be clear when I say that does not take away from what the film accomplished. Pearl is meant to be an origin story leading to the events that unravel in X, and it does that to perfection. The character development is mind-blowing in so many ways and speaks to a very effective screenplay. The reason why I am talking about this in the bad section is the fact that I don’t feel like Pearl is quite as enjoyable on a mainstream level.

This is very much a slow-burn character study, capped off with the amazing monologue I mentioned. Now even though X had its fair share of hard-to-watch scenes, unless you are into sex-crazed old ladies which I say to each their own, Pearl ups the ante in many ways. Although it could have been much worse. If you have an issue with the mistreatment of the elderly you may have a difficult time with this movie. The strain Pearl’s father puts on the family as he is confined to a wheelchair and unable to eat or bathe on his own is a primary driver of the story, and also very triggering in many ways as well. Even though Pearl claims to love her father, he is seen as nothing more than a major inconvenience. So I guess what I am saying is that what the film does so well is also what will likely make it a difficult watch for some people. Also, if you have an issue with subtitles they pop up throughout the film as Pearl and her mother often talk to each other in German. I’m not a fan of subtitles in general but they didn’t bother me.

THE VERDICT

A tense and well-crafted origin story showcasing a memorable performance from talented actress Mia Goth, Pearl is yet another successful collaboration between visionary director Ti West and A24. Although I didn’t like it as a whole quite as much as I did the first film, getting the much-needed backstory on this character was great. What West is doing with these movies is incredible to me, essentially building a brand new franchise in the span of 12 months. X was a real treat for horror fans, and the fact that it was just scratching the surface has me beyond excited for what is to come next.

Now even though Pearl doesn’t have a post-credit scene in the traditional sense, it does offer a sneak peek at the 3rd film in the franchise, Maxine, if you haven’t seen it already. So yeah, I am all in for what Ti West cooks up next. At this rate he may end up with more films than the Friday the 13th franchise, especially considering I have been waiting for another movie since 2009. Be sure to get out and support the glorious horror genre by seeing Pearl in theaters.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.6/10

Pearl is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.