A decent unknown NF Streaming movie for a change.
It’s about a woman who is mentally imbalanced, trying to live out the somewhat-normal life she has no doubt struggled to build for herself after a horrific childhood and lots of abuse. It’s obvious from the start that she is at least somewhat odd/troubled, as she just seems out of place wherever she is; even at the bookstore that she owns.
The only connections that evidently mean anything to her are her books, her cats, her a$$hole ex-bf, and (most of all) her childhood friend and foster sister. Indeed, these are the only “things” she appears truly comfortable with; the sister especially seems to be vital to her tenuous hold on sanity.
Basically this film is a portrayal of her slow descent, further and further away from her somewhat-ordered and somewhat-normal world, and at the same time the nobility and loyalty of the sister, whose dominant initial nature proves to be necessary and a product of caring, not manipulation or self-gratification.
For quite a while, the lead seems like she’s TRYING as hard as she can to be “normal”, despite obviously losing the battle. So she evokes sympathy, making it that much more painful when she sinks below a certain point; one beyond sympathy.
The flashbacks and obvious signs of her horrid past, too, evoke sympathy for her. At least for a while.
The overall mood is dark, foreboding, and disturbing: the music is almost always perfect in reflecting these, as is the acting; which is solid, especially by the lead.
Overall a very dark film, from start to finish – even the lighter parts seem surrounded by lurking shadows. And it gets better…and more creepy…as it goes along, culminating in the high point of
its effect, which comes a little bit before the ending.
The ending is a disappointment, unfortunately…but til then this is a decent, interesting movie.
Available on Netflix Streaming until 6/15/14.
Grade: C+
7/14/18: The Great Grade Update. Grade: B-