Eileen

This movie made no sense.

At first I thought it had a vibe similar to Saltburn that I have just seen. With its themes of pier pressure, parental expectations and a twisty turning plot, Eileen starts with the bookish, socially awkward main character drifting in and out of reality.

Anne Hathaway comes along along and leads us to believe that their relationship will develop into something more than a colleague based relationship. Just when when we think things might develop into something the film has been foreshadowing, the movie takes a ridiculous turn into left field and further oblique turns after that.

The build up made no sense with how the movie turned out. Everything in the movie was well done up until the plot, which makes no sense. Best avoided.

This movie had all the makings of a great film. Act 1 provided a satisfying introduction to our main cast and let us explore the intricacies of their personalities. It seamlessly eased into Act 2 with the twist that was greatly hinted at in both the trailer and the synopsis. Then once we get to the height of the climax the film ends. We get no Act 3 and no resolution to what went on in the whole film. Every single plot point was left open with too much room left to interpretation. I honestly got hooked onto these characters and invested in their lives and stories and from Act 1 to Act 2 I felt like the film had an average score of a 7 that turned into an 8, but when everything ended so suddenly that score in my head dropped to where it is now. This film really should have had another hour to explore the consequences of the character's actions whether they were allowed to lead their same lives or not. As for now, we as the audience will never know and that doesn't jive with this viewer.

To sum up my thoughts the movie was the start of something great. But since it cut off so suddenly I'm left to wonder what the point even was.

Thomasin McKenzie is quite good as the eponymous, rather timid, prison secretary who lives a rather pedestrian life watching the couples make out in the car-park, or fantasising about a quickie with one of her colleagues, before returning home to her retired cop/dipso father replete with two bottles! The arrival of new psychologist "Rebecca" (Anne Hathaway) injects a little life into her dull routine. This assertive sophisticate takes an interest in "Eileen", they go for a drink - there's even some flirting - before "Rebecca" shares a secret with her new friend that involves a young man in prison accused of the brutal murder of his father, and of just what his mother might know of the crime and it's causes. The first hour is quite intriguing but that sense of anticipation is let down by a last half hour that is really quite undercooked and the denouement, well that is just incomplete - on just about every level. The acting and writing is fine - nothing more, but I left the screening thinking that something was missing. What exactly was the point here? It's a good looking film - effort has certainly gone into the aesthetic but I'm not sure I'm really any the wiser.

Eileen is not worth watching for the positive attributes because it exemplifies why "story" matters. Oldroyd's film has no third act, which is also a problem with the source of this adaptation. The movie takes a vicious twist. That turn primarily concerns the great Marin Ireland's (Hell or High Water) character and her son, incarcerated for murder, who is also under Hathaway's Rebecca's care.

While what transpires can be fascinating, especially when McKenzie's Eileen evolves into taking over the more dominant role, the film fails because there's no third act. This is not an argument that Eileen needs a nice little bow to wrap up her story. Far from it. The issue is that there's no closure, character redemption, or accountability.

Eileen's story, frankly, stops and falls off the metaphorical storytelling cliff. Yes, Hathaway is electric. We know McKenzie can say more with a stoic glance than most can say with a monologue. Whigham plays caustic roles like no other actor of this time in cinema .

Eileen (Thomasina McKenzie) lives a less than fulfilling life with her alcoholic, bad tempered father and working at a young man's detention centre as a secretary. Bored with her existence she frequently fantasises about sexual experiences and killing her father or herself. One day, a new smart and glamorous prison counsellor, Rebecca (Anne Hathaway) arrives and much to Eileen's surprise and joy, she befriends her.

Granted this is a slow, not much happens thriller, but the performances by McKenzie and Hathaway and the chemistry between them works well and always keeps you intrigued as to what's coming and when it does, it does so suddenly and surprisingly. The interaction between them also moves along nicely with their characters shifting depending on the circumstances. I assume that many will find this a bit dull and I do sympathise with that view, but overall I still enjoyed the characters and the building tension around where it's heading.