What’s it about?

A young indie film-maker tasked with rebooting a beloved horror movie series, tracks down the original film’s Final Girl (Gillian Anderson) but risks losing herself as fantasy and life begin to blur.

What did we think?

Anthony Sherratt says:
Recipe
– Take a slasher-camp-being-revisited trope and layer with a meta film-within-a-film model.
– Stir together. 
– Season with a great performances from Gillian Anderson and a simply stunning turn from Amanda Fix 
– Flavour with homages to the best-known slasher films especially Sleepaway Camp
– Add a pinch of Lynch, a drop of Cronenberg and a hint of Anderson especially visually
– Mix in some sensuality (but don’t let it become gratuitous) 
– Periodically add explorations of self, sexuality and identity
– Agitate ingredients so as to not allow audience to settle
– Splash on some ambiguity (don’t worry – it will dissipate during the process)
– A touch of pretentiousness is the final ingredient (but only the self-aware kind)

This might appear to be a confusing way to describe a film but Jane Schoenbrun’s new movie is a collection of parts that at first appear to be a hodgepodge but somehow come together to create a rather sumptuous meal that will leave a lasting impression. 

Is it satire, homage or meta commentary? The answer is yes. 

Is it deliberately misleading and refusing to follow traditional narratives? Also yes.

Is it entertaining and thought-provoking? This is the most important yes. 

While some may find it polarising, the simple fact is that this film is intelligent, entertaining and fun.