Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

JinRoz For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Loui Blair It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

jtncsmistad Talk about a movie that tests your patience. Well, that's sure as hell not the recently released, exceedingly atmospheric horror flick "Darling". No, your patience won't be tested......because it'll flippin' be TORTURED all to shreds! Good GOLLY does it take an ETERNITY for anything to happen in this thing. And then when it FINALLY does, you're like, "All that interminable build-up to THIS???"Writer/Director/Co-Producer Mickey Keating clearly is trying to evoke the feel of late '50's/early '60's Hitchcockian suspense as his black and white film lens depicts present-day New York City, together with the story's main characters, as though what we are witnessing is somehow suspended in time during this bygone era. Keating also borrows heavily here from Roman Polanski's "Repulsion" and Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" in terms of plot, structure, vibe and effect. In step with what is an apparent homage to the classics, Keating gives a grotesquely macabre nod to Audrey Hepburn in what may best be described as a perverse version of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" on a bad, and I do mean RANCIDLY bad, acid trip.Lauren Ashley Carter (whom Keating also directed in 2015's equally offbeat horror mystery "Pod") does what she can in the title role. And she's really pretty effective as a lonely young woman gone nuts, or rather even MORE wacko, as would appear to be the case in "Darling". There's even a Sean Young sighting (remember her, kids?) as a super creepy matronly type name of "Madame". EWWW-HEW-HEW-HEW. But in the end, it's all been done before.And enormous quantum leaps better than it's done here, darlin'.

Mr_Ectoplasma "Darling" follows an out-of-touch young woman who gets a job house sitting in a large New York mansion that is reputed to be haunted—that's about all I can say without ruining the rest of the film, as it really is that paper-thinly plotted.Writer/director Mickey Keating seems to be a serious film student, as the movie is entirely based on Polanski's "Repulsion," and has shades of "The Shining" and "Diabolique" worn on its shoulder at all times. This is perhaps the most frustrating thing about it—the fact that it lacks its own identity.The film is nicely shot and has some great closeups which are accentuated by the black-and-white cinematography, and the setting has an off-kilter, claustrophobic vibe that is more or less effective; I did, however, find the flashy jump-cuts and strobe effects to be overwrought. Lauren Ashley Carter plays the lead of the picture, and even looks like Catherine Deneuve; her performance is solid, while Brian Morvant plays a male counterpart who takes on a vital role in the proceedings. The film has a downbeat ending at its 76 minute running time, but it's a conclusion that seems apparent from the opening scene.Overall, "Darling," though a technically well-made film, lacks bite because it seems too preoccupied with paying homage. A meatier film could have gotten away with this, but the narrative here is far too basic and skeletal to offset a cache of cross-references. The result is stylistically effective, but unfortunately rather dull in all other areas. 4/10.

mjsreg Its nice to see a film maker do something different that works - and works well.This film isn't the usual offering of horror/thriller fare. The whole story is not handed to you on a plate, and you have to fill in some of the blanks yourself. Intentional or not, it seems to work. I think this is a film the viewer will either love or hate.No doubt this was made with the psychological thrillers of the 50s and 60s in mind, with a bit of film noir thrown in to complete the mix.Lauren Ashley Carter plays the main character in the film. In fact, apart from a few short appearances by other characters, she is the film. And what a character she is. Sweet and adorable yet... well its best to watch the film.There were a couple of things that could have done with a bit more explanation, but no film is perfect.I for one will certainly be on the lookout for Lauren Ashley Carter in the future.

Ruby Chang Wow! I really admire how they put together this film. The complementary interaction between the sound effects - those harsh, dissonant sounds - and the fuzzy, almost dulled cinematography (interspersed, of course, with those terrifyingly epileptic flashes) really makes for the perfect horror atmosphere. The editing is brilliant. I have a bit of an issue with the pacing of the film overall. The first thirty minutes were kind of dull, despite the jumpscares, and I almost decided to skip over it entirely. The acting, however, is fantastic. I didn't recognize Lauren from Jug Face and Pod, so when I saw other people pointing it out, I found that made sense. Her skill is very obvious in these movies (even in Pod, which was not great to be honest). Looking forward to any other projects she'll be in. The plot is ambiguous, as some people have mentioned, but I think it worked for this film. Darling herself is so mixed up in her mind that nothing comes across as the truth to the audience. Not being able to figure out any concrete answers is a part of how uneasy this film can make you, in my opinion. (And adding to that mysterious eeriness is the scene in the middle of the credits! Really left me wanting more.) Ultimately, I found this to be a very well made film, a clear labor of love in the name of horror, dependent on the actors' performances and the conceptualization. Something like this is very divisive: you either love it, or you hate it. And I really loved it.