“Strange Darling” is a relatively conventional horror film that becomes unconventional due to its narrative structure, which jumps back and forth in time, leading to surprising and ultimately thrilling results.
Quentin Tarantino wasn’t the first director to mess with chronology in his films, but he did it best: the writer-director’s unorthodox approach in Reservoir Dogs—and most memorably in Pulp Fiction—elevated the material by introducing themes of destiny and fate and resurrecting characters in unexpected ways.
Tarantino changed the rules of the game and flooded the crime genre with inferior imitations. But the horror genre never really embraced this narrative device – until now.
Strange Darling is a serial killer thriller told in six chapters that unfold out of order. This approach adds twists and turns and encourages the audience to continually re-evaluate what they have seen, making for an electrifying viewing experience.
Unconventional beginnings
But that’s not how it starts. Instead, Strange Darling begins with a lot of words on the screen that hint at what we’re about to see. It’s about a “prolific and uniquely American serial killer” who went on a killing spree between 2018 and 2020.
This is “the true story of the last few murders in this rampage,” compiled from interviews, witness accounts, and observations from those who witnessed the carnage. That’s a lot to do justice to.
Then the film really starts, in a wonderfully kinetic way. A panicked woman is being chased in her ’78 Pinto. A man – who is snorting drugs – is chasing her in his truck. He tries to shoot the woman, then tries to run her over, but fails in either.
What follows is a foot chase through the wilderness that turns into a thrilling game of cat and mouse as the killer – played by Kyle Gallner – relentlessly pursues his prey, played by Willa Fitzgerald.
This is Chapter 3, titled “Can You Help Me? Please!” But before the sequence ends with any kind of resolution, we plunge into Chapter 5, titled “Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty.” Then Chapter 1. And so on and so forth, until all of Strange Darling’s secrets are revealed.
Make big turns
It’s a big move by writer-director JT Mollner, who trusts audiences to stay loyal to a story that reveals its secrets slowly, carefully, and methodically. But patience will be rewarded, especially if you like having the rug pulled out from under you at regular intervals.
He is supported by two spectacular performances from his leading actors. Fitzgerald – so unforgettable as young Madeline in The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix – is excellent as the so-called “final girl”. Although she is the main character for most of Strange Darling, only girl, and effortlessly carries her half of the film.
MiramaxScream king Kyle Gallner delivers a great performance in Strange Darling.
While Gallner, as her pursuer, is a force of nature, an unstoppable force on a collision course with Fitzgerald’s seemingly immobile object.
Thanks to Scream and Smile – and further back, Jennifer’s Body and Red State – Gallner has experience in the genre. But this performance will be his win; the coronation of a scream king to match his co-star’s new scream queen status.
Is Strange Darling good?
This structure and these performances work, as does pretty much everything in Strange Darling. It looks good, with Mollner and cinematographer Giovanni Ribisi – yes, The Giovanni Ribisi – chooses a color palette that highlights reality while providing visual clues as to what is going on.
Blue plays a central role in the proceedings, lighting up the screen when the film is in “tender love story” mode. Red, on the other hand, tells a very different story, through clothing and vehicles and bad things happening in a motel bathroom. It’s truly a feast for the eyes.
Music plays a prominent role throughout. A beautiful cover of Z. Berg and Keith Carradine’s “Love Hurts” is a recurring theme and could even be an alternate title for the film. While the soundtrack features more Berg hits, they are beautiful tunes with dark lyrics that perfectly complement the images on screen.
Strange Darling Rating: 5/5
Playing with chronology, structure and genre cliches, Strange Darling defies convention and expectations. JT Mollner takes the serial killer thriller, turns it around and smashes it headfirst onto the floor.
The film then builds to a climax that is both shocking and extremely satisfying, making it a true crowd pleaser that should be viewed with the largest audience possible.
Strange Darling hits theaters in the US on August 23 and premieres at FrightFest on August 24. The film will then be released in the UK on September 20. For even more scary stories, check out our list of the best horror films of all time, and our preview of what else you can see at FrightFest.
