by Josh Sewell
Strange Darling
(Rated R for strong/bloody violent content, sexual material, drug use and language. Now playing in select theaters.)
The premise: In this twisted thriller from writer-director JT Mollner, nothing is what it seems when a one-night stand spirals into a serial killer’s vicious murder spree.
The verdict: This might be one of the toughest films I’ve had to write about in my 22 years as a film critic, mainly because I’m terrified of ruining it for viewers coming into Mollner’s movie cold. I’m keeping things vague on purpose because films rarely catch me off guard; consider it an occupational hazard. That’s probably why Strange Darling was such an intense theatrical experience.
I was already a fan of actress Willa Fitzgerald thanks to the first season of Amazon’s Reacher, but her performance here is nothing short of mind-blowing. Mollner is intent on examining horror genre tropes, so Fitzgerald’s work as the “final girl” in this twisted world is worthy of Best Actress consideration.
It probably won’t happen since the Oscars generally look down on thrillers and horror flicks, but she’s honestly that good. I dare you to watch her work here and say it’s not as good as other performers in more “legitimate” genres.
The same goes for Kyle Gallner, a reliable actor who has been delivering quality work since Veronica Mars in the early 2000s. Factor in Giovanni Ribisi (the actor from Saving Private Ryan and Avatar) making his stunning feature debut as cinematographer, and you’ve got yourself some quality entertainment.
The film’s characters have a twisted relationship that plays out over the film’s six nonlinear chapters and epilogue. Aside from this spoiler-free review, I recommend not reading anything else about Strange Darling and ignoring trailers you might come across. To keep it simple, just listen to horror master Stephen King: if you want to know what kind of movie you’re dealing with, he called it a clever masterpiece.
Grade: A
You Gotta Believe
(Rated PG for thematic content, language and suggestive references. Opens in select theaters on August 30.)
The premise: Based on a true story, this family drama chronicles a Little League team’s journey from underdogs to earning a spot in the record books. When the father (Luke Wilson) of a teammate falls ill, the boys and their coach (Greg Kinnear) dedicate their season to him – only to embark on an unpredictable run all the way to the 2002 Little League World Series.
The verdict: You Gotta Believe doesn’t reinvent the family sports movie, but it’s a mostly engaging entry in a genre that has been sorely lacking in recent years. Granted, a lot of the kid actors are stilted and awkward (I won’t name names or go into specifics, because picking on kids is mean) but the central performances from Wilson and Kinnear are solid.
Sarah Gadon and Molly Parker also manage to elevate their standard “concerned, supportive wife” roles a bit more than usual. There’s even an entertaining extended cameo from Patrick Renna (baseball movie royalty thanks to his work in The Sandlot), who plays a stressed-out exec tasked with finding a team of sacrificial lambs to get slaughtered in the Little League World Series.
Although sluggish in places and a bit too reliant on sports movie clichés, it’s tough to fault director Ty Roberts and screenwriter Lane Garrison (reuniting with Wilson after their football drama 12 Mighty Orphans) for leaning fully into the power of such a poignant real-life story. I could see this one finding a bigger audience once it hits streaming services in the near future.
Grade: B-
Knox Goes Away
(Rated R for violence and language. Available on Max and On Demand.)
The premise: John Knox (Michael Keaton, who also directed) is a hit man diagnosed with a fast-moving form of dementia. As he attempts to cash out of the business and put his affairs in order, he finds himself working to help his estranged son (James Marsden) cover up a murder. While trying to stay ahead of the authorities, Knox is also in a battle against his own deteriorating mind.
The verdict: While prepping for Keaton’s much-anticipated return to his iconic Beetlejuice role (look for my review of that sequel next week), I realized I missed his recent directorial effort. I finally caught up with the film last weekend and I’m glad I did. The melancholy neo-noir hits a lot of familiar beats, but the actor’s outstanding performance and his understated directing makes Knox Goes Away one of my favorite movies of 2024.
There’s something about a familiar story told well. Keaton is an all-timer for me and he’s been around long enough that he’s played heroes, villains and everything in between. He brings that history to the role of Knox, which utilizes all his strengths as a performer. He’s funny, scary, heartbreaking and tragic in equal measure, which gives a standard story added weight.
He also knows how to surround himself with a strong ensemble. Marsden (such an underrated actor), Marcia Gay Harden and Ray McKinnon take their small but pivotal roles and make them more powerful than their screen time otherwise suggests. Suzy Nakamura is also terrific as the cop hot on Knox’s trail. But the biggest surprise for me was the iconic Al Pacino. Viewers have been used to him coasting over the last couple of decades, but he truly delivers here.
What’s more, I didn’t expect to get so emotional watching what seems like, at least on the surface, a standard “last job goes wrong” thriller. The final moments of Knox Goes Away hit like a gut punch.
Grade: A-
(Rated R for strong/bloody violent content, sexual material, drug use and language. Now playing in select theaters.)
The premise: In this twisted thriller from writer-director JT Mollner, nothing is what it seems when a one-night stand spirals into a serial killer’s vicious murder spree.
The verdict: This might be one of the toughest films I’ve had to write about in my 22 years as a film critic, mainly because I’m terrified of ruining it for viewers coming into Mollner’s movie cold. I’m keeping things vague on purpose because films rarely catch me off guard; consider it an occupational hazard. That’s probably why Strange Darling was such an intense theatrical experience.
I was already a fan of actress Willa Fitzgerald thanks to the first season of Amazon’s Reacher, but her performance here is nothing short of mind-blowing. Mollner is intent on examining horror genre tropes, so Fitzgerald’s work as the “final girl” in this twisted world is worthy of Best Actress consideration.
It probably won’t happen since the Oscars generally look down on thrillers and horror flicks, but she’s honestly that good. I dare you to watch her work here and say it’s not as good as other performers in more “legitimate” genres.
The same goes for Kyle Gallner, a reliable actor who has been delivering quality work since Veronica Mars in the early 2000s. Factor in Giovanni Ribisi (the actor from Saving Private Ryan and Avatar) making his stunning feature debut as cinematographer, and you’ve got yourself some quality entertainment.
The film’s characters have a twisted relationship that plays out over the film’s six nonlinear chapters and epilogue. Aside from this spoiler-free review, I recommend not reading anything else about Strange Darling and ignoring trailers you might come across. To keep it simple, just listen to horror master Stephen King: if you want to know what kind of movie you’re dealing with, he called it a clever masterpiece.
Grade: A
(Rated PG for thematic content, language and suggestive references. Opens in select theaters on August 30.)
The premise: Based on a true story, this family drama chronicles a Little League team’s journey from underdogs to earning a spot in the record books. When the father (Luke Wilson) of a teammate falls ill, the boys and their coach (Greg Kinnear) dedicate their season to him – only to embark on an unpredictable run all the way to the 2002 Little League World Series.
The verdict: You Gotta Believe doesn’t reinvent the family sports movie, but it’s a mostly engaging entry in a genre that has been sorely lacking in recent years. Granted, a lot of the kid actors are stilted and awkward (I won’t name names or go into specifics, because picking on kids is mean) but the central performances from Wilson and Kinnear are solid.
Sarah Gadon and Molly Parker also manage to elevate their standard “concerned, supportive wife” roles a bit more than usual. There’s even an entertaining extended cameo from Patrick Renna (baseball movie royalty thanks to his work in The Sandlot), who plays a stressed-out exec tasked with finding a team of sacrificial lambs to get slaughtered in the Little League World Series.
Although sluggish in places and a bit too reliant on sports movie clichés, it’s tough to fault director Ty Roberts and screenwriter Lane Garrison (reuniting with Wilson after their football drama 12 Mighty Orphans) for leaning fully into the power of such a poignant real-life story. I could see this one finding a bigger audience once it hits streaming services in the near future.
Grade: B-
(Rated R for violence and language. Available on Max and On Demand.)
The premise: John Knox (Michael Keaton, who also directed) is a hit man diagnosed with a fast-moving form of dementia. As he attempts to cash out of the business and put his affairs in order, he finds himself working to help his estranged son (James Marsden) cover up a murder. While trying to stay ahead of the authorities, Knox is also in a battle against his own deteriorating mind.
The verdict: While prepping for Keaton’s much-anticipated return to his iconic Beetlejuice role (look for my review of that sequel next week), I realized I missed his recent directorial effort. I finally caught up with the film last weekend and I’m glad I did. The melancholy neo-noir hits a lot of familiar beats, but the actor’s outstanding performance and his understated directing makes Knox Goes Away one of my favorite movies of 2024.
There’s something about a familiar story told well. Keaton is an all-timer for me and he’s been around long enough that he’s played heroes, villains and everything in between. He brings that history to the role of Knox, which utilizes all his strengths as a performer. He’s funny, scary, heartbreaking and tragic in equal measure, which gives a standard story added weight.
He also knows how to surround himself with a strong ensemble. Marsden (such an underrated actor), Marcia Gay Harden and Ray McKinnon take their small but pivotal roles and make them more powerful than their screen time otherwise suggests. Suzy Nakamura is also terrific as the cop hot on Knox’s trail. But the biggest surprise for me was the iconic Al Pacino. Viewers have been used to him coasting over the last couple of decades, but he truly delivers here.
What’s more, I didn’t expect to get so emotional watching what seems like, at least on the surface, a standard “last job goes wrong” thriller. The final moments of Knox Goes Away hit like a gut punch.
Grade: A-
Reach out to Josh Sewell at joshsewell81@gmail.com
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