#1 ·
Whenever Pavičić gives a movie a 4.5 out of 5, you know you're in for something special.
It’s just a fact.
So... here we are with "Dead Girl," which is exactly what she just did.
My expectations were through the roof.
That’s how I headed out to the theater today...
So, what’s the deal?
A dead girl is found lying in a field in broad daylight. The whole movie is about what happened before and after she was found.
This kind of theme is right up my alley. I find myself doing this all the time while walking down the street: I wonder about people. What does that guy actually do for a living? Where is he heading now? Who's cooking his dinner tonight? Why is he standing right there? Does he have anything in common with the stranger passing him by? Stuff like that.
It’s fascinating on a human level, and on the big screen, it works great the first time (think *A Passionate Love*), very well the second time (*21 Grams*), pretty good the third (*Final Destination*), okay the fourth (*Babel*), ... (and I'm talking about the premise itself, not the directing or acting)
But honestly, it can get old. And right now, there are a bunch of different stories swirling around a dead girl that don't exactly sound fresh or exciting.
However, the whole point of film studies is that a movie's value isn't just about the plot. It's about everything else. In cases like this—where the plot might not grab you immediately and lets you focus on other elements—that's where the real magic happens.
The director, Karen Moncrieff, is someone I hadn't heard of until now, but she did an incredible job. Interestingly, critics are saying she did even better with her first film (*Blue Car*).
The movie is beautifully conceived and executed. The acting is top-tier (everyone is great, especially Rosa Bryn, who I've been seeing a lot at AMC Theatres lately—*Sunshine*, *28 Weeks Later*, etc.). Everything just clicks.
There are moments where the film feels pretty heavy. I don't mean the plot is messy, but the emotional tension is intense. I'd say they cranked it up to the absolute max.
It’s also interesting that every single little vignette in the film features some nudity or explicit sexual scenes, which just adds to that heavy, charged atmosphere I mentioned.
Overall, I'd give it an 8 or 9 out of 10. On my scale, that's a huge win. As for the director, I really hope she follows this up with something great for *Relative distances*, because I'm convinced a new powerhouse director is emerging. Add the fact that she also wrote the screenplay for "Dead Girl," and it's obvious this woman has serious potential.
Highly recommended!
The only bummer is that it only has a 6.9 on IMDb, but we've already chewed on that topic plenty of times before...
It’s just a fact.
So... here we are with "Dead Girl," which is exactly what she just did.
My expectations were through the roof.
That’s how I headed out to the theater today...
So, what’s the deal?
A dead girl is found lying in a field in broad daylight. The whole movie is about what happened before and after she was found.
This kind of theme is right up my alley. I find myself doing this all the time while walking down the street: I wonder about people. What does that guy actually do for a living? Where is he heading now? Who's cooking his dinner tonight? Why is he standing right there? Does he have anything in common with the stranger passing him by? Stuff like that.
It’s fascinating on a human level, and on the big screen, it works great the first time (think *A Passionate Love*), very well the second time (*21 Grams*), pretty good the third (*Final Destination*), okay the fourth (*Babel*), ... (and I'm talking about the premise itself, not the directing or acting)
But honestly, it can get old. And right now, there are a bunch of different stories swirling around a dead girl that don't exactly sound fresh or exciting.
However, the whole point of film studies is that a movie's value isn't just about the plot. It's about everything else. In cases like this—where the plot might not grab you immediately and lets you focus on other elements—that's where the real magic happens.
The director, Karen Moncrieff, is someone I hadn't heard of until now, but she did an incredible job. Interestingly, critics are saying she did even better with her first film (*Blue Car*).
The movie is beautifully conceived and executed. The acting is top-tier (everyone is great, especially Rosa Bryn, who I've been seeing a lot at AMC Theatres lately—*Sunshine*, *28 Weeks Later*, etc.). Everything just clicks.
There are moments where the film feels pretty heavy. I don't mean the plot is messy, but the emotional tension is intense. I'd say they cranked it up to the absolute max.
It’s also interesting that every single little vignette in the film features some nudity or explicit sexual scenes, which just adds to that heavy, charged atmosphere I mentioned.
Overall, I'd give it an 8 or 9 out of 10. On my scale, that's a huge win. As for the director, I really hope she follows this up with something great for *Relative distances*, because I'm convinced a new powerhouse director is emerging. Add the fact that she also wrote the screenplay for "Dead Girl," and it's obvious this woman has serious potential.
Highly recommended!
The only bummer is that it only has a 6.9 on IMDb, but we've already chewed on that topic plenty of times before...