*This is a modified repost of my LFF review*
One of my favourite films of last year (and probably ever), Thoroughbreds is finally in cinemas. It is a deliciously dark and witty tale that eases in and out of thriller territory to provide an engrossing and unpredictable experience.
Set in a wealthy area of Connecticut, the film follows two teenage girls, once childhood friends, now estranged but beginning to reconnect. Lily (Taylor-Joy), whose home most of the film takes place in, appears calm and proper, but soon reveals herself to be putting on something of an act. Amanda (Cooke), has recently accepted to herself that she just doesn’t experience emotions, and has been putting on something of an act herself in an attempt to appear more ‘normal’. She has also become infamous in her community for manually euthanizing her horse. After seeing Lily’s hatred of her step-father, the two speculate and then hatch a plan for his murder, eventually roping in drug-dealer and sex-offender Tim (Anton Yelchin in his final filmed role) to execute the plot.
What follows is an entirely compelling mash-up of character study and thriller, featuring two of the most fascinating characters to hit our screens this year. The two leads’ various musings over themselves and their plan gradually reveal many layers to their personalities, painting them as fully dimensional people, with complex inner lives. These are brought to life by two fantastic central performances, really cementing these women as two of the best young actresses working today. They play off of each other brilliantly, and imbue each line with great resonance, strongly carrying what is, for the most part, a two hander. They, and the script, manage to keep you engaged with characters, whilst slowly becoming aware of their dark sensibilities. Yelchin is superb here too, giving his role such real character, and reminding us of the incredible talent that is now sadly missed (in a nice touch, the film is dedicated to his memory).
As writer-director, Corey Finley delivers brilliant, assured direction to accompany his rich, layered and entertaining script. Despite being quite dialogue heavy, it never loses its audience’s attention, and manages to maintain a feel of the cinematic. The story had originally started out as a play, but Finley has stated that he specifically never wanted it to feel like a filmed play. He certainly succeeds, as it is full of starkly cinematic moments used to great effect, as well as full of interesting shots (great cinematography from Lyle Vincent) and choices that add up to this remarkable debut. The film also exhibits perfect pacing which ensures you stay engaged and along for the ride.
One of the other standout aspects of the film is the unique soundtrack. Very heavy on percussion, Erik Friendlander’s distinctive score provides a delightfully unusual backdrop to the proceedings, working with the film wonderfully, and adding to its unique nature. It is interesting and textured, and likely unlike what you’ve heard before.
The film is incredibly unpredictable, with the characters and Finley playing with you as to the seriousness of their intentions, as well as where their loyalties lie. Finley handles the tone masterfully; this is a film that can have laugh out loud moments (albeit, rarely jokes) one moment, and descend into complete darkness the next. Some of its comedy is so pitch black, it almost blends into the moments of real horror, yet remains effective.
This is a remarkable debut. A clever, twisted noir that manages to be funny, whilst also being disturbing, and features two of the most visceral characters in recent film. You can feel its influences, but Thoroughbreds is entirely its own, distinct entity, and marks the arrival of a filmmaker to get excited about.
