Pearl

"Pearl" is Ti West's followup to the 1970s-set "X", which serves as an origin story for that film's villain. It focuses on her life as a lonely and whimsical young woman who feels stifled by her obligations caring for her family in 1918 Texas while her husband serves in World War I. Pearl's only outlet is the local cinema, where she is invigorated by the glamour of motion pictures and dreams of being a star. Pearl's longing for a more thrilling life--along with some ostensibly psychological predispositions to insanity--drive her to do some unspeakable things.

Though branded as a "Technicolor slasher" of sorts, "Pearl" is, in truth, more of a twisted psychological family drama, and a character study of a deeply sad outsider who feels her life is slipping away from her; her dreams, desires, and impulses out of reach due to her circumstances. This theme was tapped upon in "X", which showed the character at the end of her life, and this exploration of where she came from is demented and poignant by turns. The film is notably effective because this existential theme is one that is endemic to being a human--a fear for many that, no matter where we are in our lives, is ever-present--all of the "what-ifs", the mourning of "lost" time, and even worse: the possibility that where we are is in fact where we belong.

This film would not work without Mia Goth's performance, which is truly remarkable. Here, she portrays an outsider anti-hero that is steeped in nuance and conflicting character traits (and flaws). Her ennui and sadness is empathetically played, and one can sense that Goth herself, on some level, identifies with Pearl's pain. She lends the role a potent mixture of naiveté, delicateness, and pure, murderous rage. While Pearl is all of these things, she is also none of them entirely, and thanks to Goth's performance (and the screenplay, which she had a hand in co-crafting with West), the character emerges as multilayered and human despite her propensity for evil. Encircling Goth is a solid supporting cast who are all capable of meeting her intensity with varying degrees of bewilderment, disgust, and sheer terror.

"Pearl" does indeed edge into slasher territory in its third act, and the film as a whole is a visual feast--garishly colorful, and tipping its hat to a number of films. "The Wizard of Oz" is an obvious cornerstone, but there are visual and symbolic nods to "Repulsion" and, even more heavily, Frederick Friedel's obscure farm-set "Axe", another film that follows a mysterious (and murderous) young woman caring for her infirm grandfather on a rural farm. As with "X", West uses these influences smartly without browbeating the audience or pushing the film's content over the edge into pure pastiche, and the film downshifts in its denouement in a way that is unexpectedly touching, despite all the spilt blood and entrails.

As a companion piece to "X", "Pearl" may leave some fans of its predecessor underwhelmed, largely because it is so tonally different and not the conventional "slasher" film that might be expected. However, as a nuanced character study of a budding serial killer, it could not possibly be any better. "Pearl" stands tall as a disturbing and strangely heartbreaking portrait of a person who, upon finding that her search for meaning and validation from others leads her nowhere, is then only capable of destroying them. 9/10.

It's creepy as hell (I think. I don't usually watch horror films, but I think this is more of a psychopathic film). The way Pearl talks, her mouth opens, etc., bothered me from the beginning, but it's hard to explain, the indescribable feeling of discomfort. Her smile, her emotions change in seconds, she has almost no eyebrows, but one of her eyebrows is constantly raised by her muscles, her expression is indescribable, her desperate, innocent and sickly side is very scary (but for some reason I also sympathize with her). I feel as if something sticky and gooey has stuck to my body and I can't get it off, and it's still there. I wonder if it's that HSP, or her super sensitivity made her act like that. And then there's that overly conservative home life and the German language, which somehow come together to make me feel uncomfortable. Breathing...nonono but overall, it was entirely different movie that gave me a sticky sensation of skin from the sight. ...Great movie...

Pearl (2022) is a movie my wife and I saw in theatres last night. The storyline follows a young lady in 1918 who lives on a farm with her handicapped father and over burdened mother and whose husband is off at war. The young lady has delusions of grandeur and feels she should be a movie star and far away from her farm. Her family needs her to stay and help with chores and keep them alive. When there's tryouts for a traveling dance team she plans to audition whether her family wants her to or not.

This movie is directed by Ti West (Them) and stars Mia Goth (A Cure for Wellness), David Corenswet (The Politician), Emma Jenkins-Purro (The Brokenwood Mysteries), Matthew Sunderland (The Lost City of Z) and Tandi Wright (Jack the Giant Slayer).

The cinematography in this movie is outstanding, as is the attire, depiction of the era and the performance of Mia Goth (who co-wrote and produced this movie with West). This is more of a character piece with horror elements than a traditional horror movie. There's elements that worked for me and scenes that left me scratching my head. I will say I was very frustrated watching this movie. Every scene with the alligator was awesome. There's a pitchfork scene, fight with the mother and explosion I adored. The father was also a solid, creepy character (the bath scenes made me cringe). However, the movie feels like it is trying too hard to prove Pearl is insane. The scarecrow scene felt rediculous and didn't work for me. How people reacted to her behavior at times felt off (they tolerated her uncomfortably long). The monologue scene was great acting but felt unrealistic from the sister in-law's perspective. The ending was sudden and I wanted more.

Overall, there's things to like about this movie and components that dragged and was overdone. I would score this a 5.5/10 and recommend seeing it once.

The story about a young girl's life descending into madness!

Pearl is an ambitious and bold work with art-house horror sensibilities from A24 and Tie West . Pearl isn't just good , it is fabulous .This weird hidden gem is an incredible twisted character study . Mia Goth burns very bright in her role as Pearl . She acts with unbridled "wild abandon" and is not afraid to declare her self to the word. Goth is a real power house and carries this slow burn of a film ; She deserves all the accolades and then some. Co-scripting with her director, Goth is the standout. I must know watch "X" as Pearl is a prequel to that film which is on my shelf in Blu-ray !!! P. S. This film reminds me of " Darling"

Pearl is a serious, deliriously messed-up psychodrama with an amazing musical score, period piece accurate 1917 wardrobe and vintage early cars Terrific cinematography and disturbing imagery . A heavily Stylized slasher with some suburb kills that yield some tantalizing gory effects. This film won me over as it starts off as a very slow burn ! As the character study progresses and also the performance of Pearls overbearing mother played by talented Tandi Wright ;I found the merit of the film sneaks up on you ! It is terrifically accomplished and horribly gripping . 8.5/10

Note: You must stay a watch the closing credits . It is excellent mind-f % $ k .The strained smile that Goth holds for more than three minutes behind the closing credits was a spur-of-the-moment inspiration from Ti West. He had planned to film her smiling and then choose a freeze-frame of the most unsettling shot, but at the last minute suggested "What if you hold a smile as long as you possibly can and let's see what happens?" They shot the smile, which "goes from comical to haunting to deeply disturbing the longer it continues," in one take.

Many who liked "X" will probably find themselves disappointed with this prequel, as it never comes close to reaching the levels of shock and intensity that the former reached.

In fact, "Pearl" isn't really a horror film at all (let alone a slasher), but rather a slow-paced descent-into-madness character study that uses it's brutal violence sparingly. And it's a great character study at that.

If you're ok with that, then you're in for a psychological treat.

Highest praise must be given to Mia Goth. She co-wrote the screenplay this time around and it's clear she understands the character profoundly. Her performance is terrifying. On a dime, she is able to flip from sweet & innocent to bloodthirsty & vengeful to remorseful and empathetic all within the same scene, sometimes even within the same shot.

It is, no hyperbole, one of the best lead performances I have ever seen in the genre.

When the protagonist of your story is a murdering psychopath, obviously there is a risk of alienating the audience. But that never happened because the script keeps all of Pearl's actions rooted in the festering grudges she holds toward her unfulfilling responsibilities and the subjectively monotonous life that she feels anchored to.

Pearl remains a sympathetic character because she is written as what a lot of us would become if we snapped and acted on every thought we had in our minds.

Lastly, the cinematography and other visual choices elevate the journey of madness we are following by adding surreal, otherworldly qualities to Pearl's fantasies that she indulges.

The only complaint that I have is that some of the dialogue could have done with a bit more polish. I understand that they were trying to mimic the over-the-top style of older films, but there were times when the spoken words felt cheesy when they should have had more power.

I was not expecting it to be as psychologically hard-hitting as it was. And what an emotional gut-punch of an ending that was.

It's a great film. Ti West's best work.