Strange Darling
Written and Directed by JT Mollner
Starring Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Barbara Hershey, and Ed Begley, Jr.
Runtime 1 hour 36 minutes
In theaters August 23rd
Florida Premiere at Popcorn Frights Festival on August 9

by Vannah Taylor, Staff Writer

Audiences at Popcorn Frights Film Festival had the pleasure of witnessing the Florida premiere of Strange Darling, one of the year's most anticipated thrillers. This cat-and-mouse thriller written and directed by JT Mollner (Outlaws and Angels) is just “one day in the twisted love life of a serial killer.” The opening scroll of the film tells us that this is a dramatization of “true events,” showing what happened to the last known victims of a notorious serial killer, in a true crime-style narration that feels reminiscent of 70s classics like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). Next, viewers are thrust right into an exhilarating hunt.

Split into six chapters, this neo-noir opens with Chapter 3, to a bloodied and desperate woman, credited only as “The Lady” (Willa Fitzgerald) as she scurries through the Oregon wilderness with “The Demon” (Kyle Gallner) hot on her trail. The film then jumps between the remaining chapters in a uniquely non-linear style, slowly revealing tasty morsels that keep this serial killer narrative fresh and exciting by continuously subverting its own expectations. Right from the jump, the viewer will be just as singularly focused and locked in as “The Demon” is on his target.

Wild, manic, and cocaine-fueled, Gallner is magnetic in his most menacing role yet.

Z Berg’s wistful and hauntingly beautiful original soundtrack is cut with a brooding and threatening score whenever “The Demon” enters the picture, filling the viewer equally with dread and allure. Hot in conversation, Gallner has been dubbed a “Scream King” for his recent appearances in larger films like Scream (2022) and Smile (2022), but many fans such as myself have been eager to follow Gallner since his Jennifer’s Body (2009) days. His other recent indie endeavors, such as his roles in The Passenger (2023) and Mother May I? (2023), have certainly proved that we should have any project graced with Gallner on our radars. However, it must also be stated that Fitzgerald is just as electric. Hailing from the Scream TV series and most recently Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher, Fitzgerald shows her teeth like never before. Complex and ferocious, these two come together for a perfect storm.  

Strange Darling is wicked and playful, like a cat toying with its prey. Mollner’s script is smart to pay homage to the feel of a 70s thriller while keeping itself forward-thinking with how it flirts with audience expectations concerning gender dynamics. The danger of a good night is imminent when we jump back to before the opening car chase. Extremely intimate moments come just before the carnage, and “The Lady” plainly asks if we understand the kind of risks a woman takes just to have a good time. The intricacies of consent are unraveled and made complicated by how we know this night ends and the conversations between the film’s co-leads make this film not just a game of cat-and-mouse but a game of chicken.

Between the lush Oregon landscapes and the rich and moody interiors, Giovanni Ribisi’s cinematography is a killer feat. Shot entirely on 35 mm Kodak film, there is a texture present that illuminates the depth of the film. The lighting choices provide stunning contrasts that alternate between the film’s six chapters, from being soaked in crimson to bathed in radiant blues and greens—making for a disturbingly romantic picture. The viewers who give their consent to this wild ride should do so without knowing the rules of the game. Go in as blind as possible and you will surely be rewarded. Dynamic and ambitious, Strange Darling should be at the top of any moviegoer’s watchlist.