Every once in a while, there’s a new horror movie or thriller that’s best viewed knowing as little as possible beforehand. This year, it’s Strange Darling.
I saw Strange Darling at last year’s Fantastic Fest and walked away feeling like I had just received a big secret I could only share with other people in the audience. JT Mollner’s directorial debut stars Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner as two people hooking up for a one-night stand—and that’s the only plot description anyone can give without tipping the film’s hand. You probably shouldn’t watch the trailer for Strange Darling—heed the endorsement from Mike Flanagan, who’s quoted in the trailer—but I will say that Miramax did a pretty solid job with this one, which doesn’t show too much:
Strange Darling was shot on film, with Giovanni Ribisi serving as cinematographer, and it looks friggin’ great. It’s hard to market a movie like this one, where so much of your enjoyment and ability to engage with the plot depends on knowing next to nothing about where it’s headed, and I’m thrilled that Miramax and Magenta Light Studios picked it up for a theatrical release—especially because a movie shot on film deserves to be seen in a theater, but also because this one is a real blast with a crowd.
Strange Darling hits theaters on August 23.
