Magpie

I have a lot of mixed feelings about 'Magpie'. On the one hand, it's a very mundane film with not a lot of "film-worthy" content throughout the runtime. On the other hand, once you've seen the complete picture, you can be a lot more forgiving and understand why it was done the way it was done.

I really liked the ending to this movie. Does it make complete logical sense? I don't think so. But it's fun and it certainly makes you look at things in a different light, as any good thriller ending should.

Watching an unhappy marriage for 90 minutes can be quite taxing though. I understand this is actually quite a realistic vision of 99% of marriages on earth. Still, keep that behind closed doors please people.

The ending boosts this one up a point for me, but the actual bulk of the film still could've used a lot of work to make it better. 6/10.

Note: How unbelievably terrible did the film within a film being shot look? My goodness, that is a generous 3/10 in waiting.

It's straightforward just like the striking look of Daisy. Annette's hidden trauma was visualized smartly through celever writing, impactful visuals and audio effects. Story may mislead and distract yet the twist is pretty simple and amusing. Flawless acting by Shazad. It's a great story to pass time remind ourselves of how devoted women are the beating heart of our households.

The first half of the film is more of a character study, about a profoundly unhappy and lonely housewife, Anette, who soon finds out her husband, Ben, may be having an affair with a famous actress, Alicia. The second half of the film is more of a thriller where we see the tempo begin to pick up and the wheels begin turning in Anette's head.

The film is a true slow burn: at first chilly and frigid, then warm and bubbling, then explosive in its final act. It's gripping, engrossing, and tense throughout. It's anchored by a fantastic performance by Daisy Ridley. She's a true revelation. Her quiet moments of festering anger are wrenching. There's a symbolic scene where we see her crack a mirror after pushing into it for a few moments that symbolizes their shattering marriage. Shazad Latif is also good here.

The film does have some mediocre aspects. The trailer is quite misleading. It can drag and get a tad tedious at times. The ending may be cathartic and rewarding for some viewers, while mediocre for other viewers. Hiba Ahmed as Matilda, the daughter, is just okay, though child performances in film are often not very good. She felt more like a prop than a character. And Matilda Lutz, while really beautiful and charming and convincing as a movie star in the context of the film, was just alright. Perhaps it's because Lutz is Italian that many of her lines sounded odd or stilted.

If you like thrillers with strong acting, especially ones involving female rage, eroticism, and infidelity, this will be up your alley.

Living in a sumptuous modern country house, successful but blocked Anglo-Pakistani author Ben is stuck in a dour marriage to Annette. This state of affairs is telegraphed from the outset, with much of the marital discontent Ben's own fault. He is clearly bored by his unhappy wife, who is suppressing anger over his condescending attitude after she gave up her career to raise their two children. Their eldest child is 6YO Mathilda, who has been cast in a film as the daughter of its principal character. As Ben escorts Matilda to the set each day, he becomes attracted to lead actress Alicia, and Annette soon becomes suspicious.

Deeper discord becomes apparent as jealousy grows, leaving one wondering why the couple doesn't just call time on their dismal union. Meanwhile the narrative settles into a creative rut with all three main characters depicted as deceitful, manipulative and fairly unlikable. The story trots along an unexceptional path until it arrives at the surprise twist and melodramatic climax which is obligatory for this movie genre. The project may well be commercially successful, but thirty seconds of reflection after the end titles will have many shaking their heads at the plot's implausibility and the characters' shallowness. The acting is decent, but the screenplay's deficiencies leave one yearning for the richness of a classic like 'Body Heat' which enabled Kathleen Turner to transform deceit and manipulation into an art form.

It was difficult to watch such a seemingly kind, loving, and devoted mother be so blatantly disrespected by her husband. That said-credit where it's due-the actor playing him nailed it, because I absolutely hated him.

The acting overall was good, and while the show had its tense, infuriating moments, I was satisfied to see that karma doesn't totally take a day off. There were a few twists I didn't fully see coming, which kept me invested.

Definitely worth watching, just know, you'll be infuriated by the husband!