Pearl

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" 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.

Mia Goth delivers an impressive but somewhat misguided performance as the title character in this origin story for the main antagonist of Ti West's X. The movie is reasonably entertaining and intermittently funny. The imagery is sometimes gross; but the movie is never scary or horrifying because it fails to provide a convincing explanation for Pearl's pathology. Goth switches from "aw shucks" naive to calculating to deranged. Is she a cunning psychopath motivated by narcissism, envy and rage? Or is she an otherwise decent person spiraling into psychotic delusions? She seems to be neither and both at any given moment. Properly explored, either option would be chilling; but muddling them together make for a frustratingly inconsistent character. She's unpredictable but she's not realistic enough to be compelling.

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.

Tending to her ailing father, under the watch of her overbearing mother, Perl hopes to change her life and fulfil her dreams, but her repression clashes with her ambition with horrific consequences.

Ti West's cleverly realised tale oozes cinema, capturing the best of horror; but refreshingly fresh as he's done in previous works. It's not just Tobe Hooper's alligator, farmhouses and slasher setups, there's also echoes of a Lizzie Borden story too. Both prequel and origin story to Ti West's excellent X, Perl can also be viewed as a stand-alone film. With vibes of Psycho and the vivid colour of Wizard of Oz, Mia Goth controls every scene with an outstanding performance as damaged, chorus girl wannabe Perl. Set on 1918 both West and Goth's script reflects truths of a bygone era (without following paint by numbers expectation if you'd seen X). The cinematography, effects and score complement the dreams, delusions and murders as Perl longs to escape her secluded farm and caring chores.

The locations and sets give it an edge of quality, it feels like an expensive period piece at times especially when Perl visits the town. Amongst the farms animals and murder there's effortless monologues, Goth is award deserving delightful. With plenty going on under the skin in amongst the horror and theatrics the small cast ensemble is perfect. David Corenswet as the likeable rogue projectionist is memorable, Emma Jenkins-Purro as prim Mitsy is fantastic. Tandi Wright's Ruth, Perls mother has screen presence, along with Matthew Sunderland as Pearl's paralyzed father.

Ultimately, it's worth viewing for Goth's standout wicked performance alone, this coupled with West's direction make's for some murderous psychological screen gold.