Poor Agnes

Poor Agnes casts Lora Burke as the title character, an arrogant serial killer whose murderous rampage is threatened by an inquisitive private detective (Robert Notman’s Mike) – with the narrative detailing the rather unusual relationship that eventually forms between the two disparate figures. There’s little doubt that Poor Agnes fares best in its slow-moving yet rather promising opening stretch, as filmmaker Navin Ramaswaran, working from James Gordon Ross’ screenplay, effectively establishes the initially-likable protagonist and her small-town environs – with the promising vibe heightened by the palpable tension inherent in Agnes and Mike’s first few scenes together. It’s only as the film proceeds into its progressively meandering midsection that one’s interest begins to wane, with the bulk of the second act revolving around the mind games and torture inflicted on Notman’s hapless (and not entirely sympathetic) protagonist (ie it’s just stale and repetitive stuff, ultimately). The movie’s less-than-compelling vibe is compounded by the admittedly unexpected turn in the central characters’ dynamic, as it becomes more and more difficult to comfortably swallow the weird Stockholm Syndrome-fueled bent of Agnes and Mike’s bond. It is, as such, not terribly surprising to note that Poor Agnes fizzles out long before arriving at its underwhelming conclusion, which is a shame, certainly, given that the movie does boast plenty of overtly positive attributes (eg Burke’s striking work as the psychotic main character).

** out of ****