Catching an ultra-niche movie during its early wave of frenzied buzz can often be dangerous.  A select few have seen it, and it’s often those same individuals who would have been its biggest champions regardless.  Anyone who has a nit to pick is going to be pushing back against this wall of heavily indoctrinated yaysayers, making any challengers feel like major party poopers.   I’ve been on both sides of this tug of war, and it’s why I’ve learned to cautiously stoke anticipation for the good, drop warning hints at the bad, and zip my lip when I’ve uncovered a winner.

I confess that I likely put too much into the advanced word I received on Strange Darling, and it’s why I initially walked away wondering what all the fuss was about.  I need to see it again to process it from a lower bar because screenwriter JT Mollner’s directorial debut is quite a wild ride of a fever dream.  An often bold spectacle that tips its hat to the avant-garde stylings of David Lynch while fully embracing the slasher flicks of yesteryear, this twisty twisted tale is as slippery as it is sinister.  Operating in the gloomy territory between thriller, horror, and obscure art film, it thrives on its innate ability to keep you on your toes even while pulling the rug out from under you. 

The less you know before entering this odyssey, the better, and while I won’t spoil anything but the basics, I’m okay with you bookmarking this review now and returning after you’ve been to the theater or caught this later at home.

Now that you’re back, let’s talk about the six chapters (plus the epilogue) of Strange Darling and how Mollner doesn’t even start at the very good place to start.  No, we meet The Lady (Willa Fitzgerald, The Fall of the House of Usher) and The Demon (Kyle Gallner, Scream), as their story is already well underway a few chapters in and then hops around, often out of order.  A one-night stand has gone quite awry, spiraling into a bloody murder spree that leaves everyone, including the audience, questioning everything they see and hear.  Jumping chapters randomly, the concept of peeling away layers that continually change the central story has legs, even if it’s putting together the pieces of a puzzle we’ve assembled before the movie does it for us. 

The problem here is the pacing.  Though the movie comes out of the gate like a rocket, the failure to establish a rhythmic pace causes Strange Darling to feel like it’s dragging its feet in its front half.  Tiny bursts of action at the outset lead to a drawn-out scene between our two leads where the conflicting pair exposes the glaring flaw of miscasting, further diminishing any tension built up until that point.  Gallner shines in a chillingly charismatic performance that gels well with Mollner’s high-concept cat-and-mouse game but strangely not with Fitzgerald’s approach to the complexities of her role.  Getting too far into their pairing would venture into spoiler territory, but there’s a difference in the range between the actors that becomes more apparent as Strange Darling progresses, even if Fitzgerald is afforded an admittedly dynamite scene filmed in one continuous shot in a later chapter.

Hollywood veterans Ed Begley Jr. (Book Club) and Barbara Hershey (Insidious) add a quirky energy as a couple living off the grid caught up in the deadly crossfire.  The casting of these two brings some charm and intentionally placed humor, lightening up the mood in the middle of a ruthless run of violence.  However, aside from Begley Jr.’s hair-raising breakfast preparation and Hershey making a meal out of putting one jigsaw piece in its place, Mollner doesn’t give them much to do and fails to utilize their considerable talents.  You wind up wanting more from the characters and the actors portraying them. 

Had this been made ten years earlier, I could see producer Giovanni Ribisi (Contraband) playing Gallner’s role, elevating the movie from its minor cult hit future to a major genre favorite. However, in a surprising move, he’s behind the camera as Strange Darling’s cinematographer.  Ribisi proves to have an excellent eye for visual flair, giving the film an alluring, unsettling look whether we’re in a secluded cabin, a lonely highway, or one of the other locations skillfully outfitted by production designer Priscilla Elliot.  Along with the off-kilter design of Rudy Rojas’s costumes and a simmering score composed by Craig DeLeon, Strange Darling’s technical elements are top-notch. 

Those willing to go with all of its eccentricities are sure to savor Strange Darling, while others may find their patience tested, especially when the film’s reach exceeds its grasp.  For me, Mollner’s overall ambition in screenwriting and the occasional flash of brilliance in Gallner’s performance couldn’t always make up for Fitzgerald’s weaker moments that dragged the film’s pacing and her costars back a few notches.  It doesn’t fully detract from the surprises that await audiences; however, it keeps it from being the homerun it could have been with a completely dynamic cast.  If anything, this is another reminder to set your sky-high expectations lower to the ground.