Strange Darling: A Thriller in 6 Chapters

Directed by JT Mollner, Strange Darling: A Thriller in 6 Chapters follows Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner’s nameless characters as they experience a series of unexpected happenings after meeting for a one-night stand. It’s familiar territory that’s employed to initially standard yet increasingly thrilling effect by Mollner, as the filmmaker, armed with his own screenplay, delivers a non-linear narrative that rarely, if ever, unfolds as one might’ve anticipated and boasts a series of legitimately surprising twists and turns – although it’s worth noting that the picture succeeds even during its run-of-the-mill first act thanks to its incredible performances and striking visuals. (Gallner, in terms of the former, offers up a tremendously appealing, commanding turn, but it’s clear, ultimately, that it’s Fitzgerald’s tour-de-force efforts that elevate the proceedings on a recurring basis.) The picture’s transformation from watchable to enthralling, then, is triggered by a terrific sequence detailing Fitzgerald and Gallner’s lengthy conversation within his car, and there’s little doubt that Strange Darling: A Thriller in 6 Chapters, beyond that point, progresses into an often electrifying midsection and second half that’s capped off with a truly breathtaking final shot – which does, in the end, confirm the movie’s place as a top-tier piece of work that bodes very well for Mollner’s future endeavors behind the camera (and certainly establishes Fitzgerald as an exciting new talent).

***1/2 out of ****