Film Reviews

One of my only positive thoughts about this film is Christina Ricci's Layla, and how I wish so badly that she was in a different film. Perhaps a horror? or even another surrealist film. Now, I want to begin by saying that I understand what this film was going for. I understand what Vincent Gallo intended for this film to be and I completely see where there are parts of this film that has an engaging subtext that can be richly discussed and I can atest that most of the visuals and camera work are beautiful. I can admit these things. However, these few things, TO ME, don't make this film anymore enriching or riveting as it should be. There are hints of narrative tension scattered throughout the story but never is positioned to be something. There is no second act of the film. There's a beginning and end, but there isn't a structured middle. Whatever happens between these two parts of the narrative immensely staggers the film even though it's where we get most of our understanding of the main character Billy Brown. I think this also becomes jarring when all of a sudden Christina Ricci's Layla suddenly falls for him and odes to how "nice and handsome he is."

The misogyny--oh, boy. It shows so much in the writing and chemistry between the characters. Layla---she was such wasted potential. There was so much bubbling under the surface with her character but then Billy would overtake her voice. In most of their scenes he treats her as petulent child who doesn't know a gun from a toy, and it doesn't help that she is literally a tag-a-long. It's also actually fucking insane that she justifies Billy's stalking of his middle school crush.

Also, perfect segway into Billy. He is just straight up annoying terrible and an asshole. I'm used to terrible characters and I can appreciate a terrible one as long as the narrative in some ways acknowledges it. His shitty behavior, stalking, homophobia, and misogyny are swept away under the rug of poor sad white guy with a sad backstory. If there were more parts like the emotional scenes with Billy and his friend towards the end of the film or Layla then perhaps I could care about his sadness and internalization of his trauma. But it's a nothing-burger and goes nowhere. It's made to seem aware but its really a woe is me story. Also I could've bought the Layla and Billy thing if it came out of literally no where. I see so many people say it’s a good film because of sting performances, visuals, surrealist etc. But none of that means anything if there’s no contention with the story. All that can effectively and objectify create a decent film but it doesn’t create a film that grapples me makes me question anything or a scenario makes me care for any character or situation. The dialogue was annoying and boring. I won't go much into the director, I'm just so shocked that it has a decent perception by others, especially as his views imprints on his work with the way he treats women.

Where do I start? I really liked this film much more than what I thought I would. I had always been aware of it in passing but never really had the drive to actually turn it on. Honestly, I'm glad I did that because I feel like I could really appreciate the story at heart and not the expectations that surrounded its release back then. Getting right into it, I loveddddd the set design, atmosphere, and stylistic choices presented in the film. On my first watch, I immediately took notice of the costuming. Oh my god it's so beautiful and detailed. It echoes the likes of Emma and Nosferatu with its detail, particularly the former. The subversion of period accurate aesthetics and tailoring is one that can only be done if the costume department truly respects the source and utilizes the basic elements to create such an over-exaggerated silouette that grunds the story but also elevates the fantasy aspects.

On to the actual story. While it is a basic gothic tale, I think the film engages with that cliche narrative in an interestign way. Edith's adventure while staying at Adderdale Hall, aka Crimson Peak, is a reflection of her dilemma at the beginning of the narrative, which creates an peculiar elevation of the events that take place. Once things start to come together, you wonder if these things truly occurred or were, as they as Edith stresses at the beginning, a metaphor for the blurring lines between the living and the dead---What it means to be dead and what it means to be alive.

I think this thought is only explored through the incestuous and toxic relationship between the Sharpe siblings in addition to its juxtaposition to Edith and Thomas' relationship. Before the actual story even starts, they are dead, though we are not aware of it until we circle back to the beginning towards the end of the film's runtime. There are points in the story where this fate could change only if they choose to forsake their bloody past, their rotting histories, and codependency on each other that wreaks of the unfathomable and wretchedness. I like how the film echoes this through Edith's dialogue. For instance, "[Thomas], you're always looking towards the past. You won't find me there," and "characters have the power to change their story." Yet, by the time Thomas decides to take that step it is too late, he succumbs to his fate. However, his end leaves him to find peace in death, away from his manor of tragedy. Meanwhile, his sister Lucille remains stricken to her personal hell, Adderdale Hall, as a ghost too stuck in the past.

Another thing I loved was the gothic romance aspect. Listen, if you told me I would be so intrigued by Tom Hiddleston's Thomas Sharpe and his curiousity of his eelings of love towards Edith while trying to kill her and rob her of her wealth, I would've said that you're crazy. But man! The chemistry between Tom Hiddleston and Mia Wasikowska is so palpable. It's like a burning candle---never too harsh but still ablaze. In retrospect, knowing about his incestous relationship with Lucille and the abuse his father inflicted upon their mother, their relationship becomes tender in a way, though you know it cannot end well given Thomas' crimes. However though, the line, "You lied to me." "Yes." "You poisoned me." "Yes." "You said you loved me!" "I do." Chef's kiss. You have bewtiched me Edith Cushing and Thomas Sharpe.