Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Nothing is what it seems when a twisted one-night stand spirals into a serial killer’s vicious murder spree.
Strange Darling is a genuinely audacious neo-noir thriller distinguished above all by its non-linear structure and its stunning 35mm cinematography shot by Giovanni Ribisi — a rare case of a modern thriller committing fully to film grain and widescreen compositions that feel both vintage and fresh. The narrative twist recontextualizes the entire film and earns its high Novelty score, as the structural inversion of the serial killer genre is executed with real conviction rather than mere gimmickry. The plot construction is clever and rewards attention, though it leans heavily on its structural conceit as its primary engine. Acting is solid — Willa Fitzgerald carries enormous weight and does so credibly — but the performances, while competent, don't reach the level of the film's visual and structural ambition. The ending, while conceptually satisfying given the twist, loses some momentum in its final stretch and doesn't quite stick the landing with the full punch the setup promises.