In a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.

Friday, 9 June 2017

The Blackcoat's Daughter (2015)

aka February

In his directorial debut, Oz Perkins crafts a non-traditional horror film about loss and the evil which lurks within absence. Heavily influenced by the style of David Lynch, scenes are slowly eaten up by uncomfortable pauses and seemingly mundane conversations carpeted by an unsettling score which gets under your skin. As a result, an atmosphere of intrigue is created, yet at times this method instills a lull instead. The editing ensures a cryptic nature to the story. This is one that will make more sense on a second viewing. The three young women spot lit (Emma Roberts, Kiernan Shipka, and Lucy Boynton) give methodical performances which add to the overall unease and lingering impression of the film.

3 heads in a row out of 5

2 comments:

cuckoo said...

I'm eager to see this one, even though I really don't like Emma Roberts or Kiernan Shipka.
Perkins' Lynchian style makes me happy so I'm thinking it will make the ride worthwhile.

Borderline said...

Honestly, the initial reason why I wanted to see it was because of Emma Roberts. I was pleasantly surprised by Shipka. James Remar is good in this too.