Thoroughbreds

I decided to check this film out because the premise sounded very interesting but it was told in a way I didn't expect.

Thoroughbreds follow two teenage girls, Amanda and Lily, who both scheme to kill Lily's stepfather.

This is a very strange film. Cory Finley has a background in plays and it clearly shows in Thoroughbreds. There are a lot of scenes where characters just talk in one location but what makes it fun to watch is the dialogue and performances. The humour may not appeal to everybody but I found a lot of the lines to be pretty funny. It reminded me of American Psycho a lot. The humour is very dark and subtle and if you're on board with that then you may like this film. Alongside that, Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy are pretty fantastic in this film. They have great chemistry with one another and suit their roles really well. Unfortunately this is Anton Yelchin's final performance but he shines during the scenes he's present in.

The cinematography and production design was really good. The score is what really stood out to me. It's filled with all sorts of strange sounds that fit well with the overall style of the film. The ending does feel underwhelming and it could be due to budget constraints or Finley's background in plays.

For the most part I enjoyed the deadpan humour and I thought Finley's approach to this kind of film was quite refreshing but I feel the story and the stakes could have been elevated more to make it even more entertaining.

This film is incredbily entertaining and intriguing from beginning to end. Our two lead actresses both give fantastic performances, as wealthy teenage girls from suburban Connecticut. The story unfolds in a very interesting way and the ending left me satisifed. The cameraweork is stunning, and the direction is great, especially for a directorial debut. It manages to be both comedic and dark and balances the tone quite well. There is one plot line including Anton Yelich that I would have liked to see wrapped up a little better, but it definietely does not take away from the overall enjoyment of the film. This film is intriguing and brings a much-needed spin to a genre that often produces subpar films. You should definitely go watch Thoroughbreds, you will not be dissapointed.

Thoroughbreds is a reminder that wealth is just a veneer over over our animalistic humanity. No matter how big the house, how luxurious the spa weekend, or how impressive the credentials, we all experience petty hatred and anger, we lie and we manipulate, and we want to protect what's ours - the cost to others be damned.

The movie is a character study of two rich kids - one who has no care for that veneer and one is highly dependent on it. The plot is driven by a "murder on my mind" scenario, but that's just to serve the psychological thriller format. The more interesting lens through which to view this movie, for me, was to examine the effect that these two unlikely friends had on each other.

Oh, and it's a pleasure to watch if you like careful, measured cinematography and pointed dialogue. It's a slow burn, but a worthy one.

SPOILER: Thoroughbreds was quite a bit to process for me. On the surface, it's a story about young would-be murderers who are plotting to kill a stepfather in a WASPy Connecticut setting. Symbolically, it's a story about free will and letting go of all inhibitions. Amanda teaches Lily that committing a murder is all about getting away from yourself and focusing on the goal. Throughout the film, they relate it to how Steve Jobs dropped out of college and founded his own computer company. Strange and satirical, for sure. Cooke and Joy are a fabulous duo.

The pacing of the film is even more off-putting. Also, despite being advertised as a comedy, Thoroughbreds is so matter of fact and grim, I couldn't decipher what was supposed to be funny from what was supposed to be dead serious. That was entirely the point, but I found myself scratching my head more than enjoying the nuance.

Superb film that on a scenario already seen several times produces an exciting whole. In any case where we never guess what will happen next. Our two female characters are intriguing, that's the whole point of the film: the plot about what they are going to do with the horrible father-in-law of one of them is only a pretext. Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy are fascinating. The interactions of their two characters make the film and story worthwhile and it doesn't matter much what they do. They are preoccupied with Anya Taylor-Joy's stepfather who is horrible to her, a necessary element to their interactions.

The music of the film extremely worked with percussion is a success and multiplies the tension with alacrity. The film is a brilliant exercise in style, both in terms of acting and directing, the script and the dramatic progression. The two actresses are formidable. Their characters remain mysterious, in very different ways from each other. The evolution of the story, very simple, captivates the spectator by dosing the mini surprises to arrive at a conclusion unimaginable at the beginning of the film, but totally coherent.

This film is a great success and a good surprise.