The Beguiled

Based on a novel by Thomas Cullinan, The Beguiled follows wounded Civil War-era soldier John McBurney (Colin Farrell) as he’s taken in by the headmistress (Nicole Kidman’s Martha) of a small, isolated girls school – with the movie detailing the tension (sexual and otherwise) that ensues between McBurney and the various women in the house (including Kirsten Dunst’s Edwina and Elle Fanning’s Alicia). It’s perhaps not surprising to note that writer/director Sofia Coppola, as tends to be her modus operandi, has infused The Beguiled with a less-than-eventful atmosphere and a deliberate, meandering pace, which effectively does ensure that the movie, despite its strong performances and almost haunting visual sensibility, is utterly unable to capture and sustain one’s attention for much of its first half. And while the somewhat amusing nature of the film’s premise keeps things partially interesting – it’s difficult not to get a kick out of these women of different ages essentially throwing themselves at Farrell’s character – The Beguiled remains a fairly tough slog until it marches into its comparatively electrifying third act. The movie’s transformation from lackadaisical drama to something akin to a thriller is unexpected, to be sure, and Coppola does an impressive job of peppering the narrative with a handful of palpably tense sequences (including a riveting dinner scene near the end). It’s apparent, ultimately, that The Beguiled, despite a decidedly erratic sense of momentum, stands as one of Coppola’s best films, with the movie’s success due in no small part to Coppola’s genre-shifting approach and to the stellar efforts of an exceedingly eclectic cast.

*** out of ****