Upon Strange Darling being provided to me, I was asked not to include any points that could be considered a spoiler in my coverage. Now, ordinarily, I would stick to that line of thought anyway, but there are some films where the less you know going in, the better. Strange Darling is one of those. Shot on 35mm, the film exudes a vintage quality visually and production-wise, however, it is very much set in the modern times. A twisty thriller with minor horror elements, Strange Darling is an exquisite entry into the genre and one that takes its time leading the viewer one way before sharply deviating its course on several occasions - but, crucially, every switch-up is in service to the story and it’s excellently set up through Mollner’s use of non-linear narrative storytelling. It’s this, alongside the severity of the plot, that gives Strange Darling a heavy, cloying feeling to it, you never quite know what is to become of our characters, or who they even are. This is largely due to the two standout performances by Fitzgerald and 'Scream King', Kyle Gallner. Fitzgerald’s presence is magnetic and her layered performance exhibits true confidence and ability, whilst Gallner succeeds too on the same levels. Both actors provide vulnerable yet predatory performances that provide a chilling level of authenticity and engagement. I was enamoured with the cinematography of Strange Darling and then surprised to see that Giovanni Ribisi acted as the film’s DoP - not an indictment of his talent, more an expression of the rarity of actors stepping into roles other than that of director or producer. Ribisi and Mollner craft some stellar sequences and the visual flair accentuates the brutality of the story effectively. To say more would be to risk giving anything away, but suffice to say, Strange Darling is a fantastic thriller that’ll keep you guessing throughout and will have you thinking about it for days after.