Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
A talented young writer embarks on a creative odyssey when her teacher assigns a project that entangles them both.
Miller's Girl is a provocative but ultimately hollow thriller that trades on taboo teacher-student dynamics without delivering genuine psychological depth. The plot is contrived and leans heavily on overwrought literary pretension, with the 'creative odyssey' framing feeling more affected than earned. Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman bring capable performances that elevate thin material, but the acting can't fully overcome the screenplay's weaknesses. Cinematography is competent and atmospheric, using moody lighting and autumnal aesthetics to establish tone, though nothing visually distinctive emerges. The film's provocateur ambitions are undercut by its derivative execution — the dangerous-student archetype has been explored more meaningfully elsewhere, making Novelty low. The ending is unsatisfying and abrupt, failing to meaningfully resolve the ethical and psychological tensions the film sets up.