PEARL

Well, I'll bet you I'm a-gonna be a big star

Might win an Oscar you can't never tell

The movie's gonna make me a big star,

'Cause I can play the part so well

Well, I hope you come and see me in the movie

Then I'll know that you will plainly see

The biggest fool that's ever hit the big time

And all I gotta do is act naturally

-ACT NATURALLY, BUCK OWENS

Trapped on her family's isolated farm, Pearl must tend to her ailing father under the bitter and overbearing watch of her devout mother. Lusting for a glamorous life like she's seen in the movies, Pearl finds her ambitions, temptations, and repressions all colliding in this origin story of X's iconic villain. Ti West and Mia Goth collaborated on the script via FaceTime during a mandatory 2-week quarantine in New Zealand prior to filming X (2022). They had only hoped A24 would agree to make the film. Fortunately, the project was green-lit before filming began on X.

I was very excited going into this movie, and I left feeling a little deflated. The movie is full of great performances, beautiful directing, and easily the best performance I have ever seen from Mia Goths' career full of incredible performances. but all that being said I felt like I was waiting for something to happen I can't put my finger on, something this movie is far less interested in then telling a strong story about a strong character.

I probably wouldn't have been able to put my finger on why this movie felt so slow and ended on such a seemingly limp note if I hadn't just watched NOPE. If I didn't hear Jordan Peele talk about our often unhealthy obsession with spectacle, to the point where we expect it to be a part of every movie we watch.

That Spectacle is exactly what this movie is missing. there are no big action scenes, no over-the-top kills with the expected Ti West level of gore, and no climax, just a straightforward narrative about a woman in trouble. a woman struggling with her sexual urges, her murderous urges, her overbearing family, and her feelings that she doesn't deserve to live the life she is living. Any therapist with their salt would have a field day attempting to diagnose Pearl, and I'm certain when I rewatch this movie without waiting for something to happen I will find myself able to enjoy it more.

The fantasy adventure this movie opens as slowly curdles into a nightmare, highlighting the juxtaposition between the world Pearl envisions for herself and the reality she inhabits. If you aren't interested in an incredibly unique tale of the psyche slowly snapping, I would recommend this movie.

7/10