Stray Dolls

Olivia, you really need to work on your 'Sutherrrrn' drahhhhl'. As a fellow Aussie, a totally unconvincing Southern US accent was enough for me to abandon this movie. Shame, as it looks like an otherwise terrific film.

Ok, if you have thousand reviews and you rate this 9 of 10 no one should believe a word you say, ever lol... it is obvious you are getting paid for good reviews lol... look, it's sad... maybe it plays in India or where ever lol.. but this does not pass for film making here in America lol. If you just have time to waste and need some sleep, oh who doesn't right now, then go ahead... that is if you can watch for free... don't waste money on it, you just be very upset after lol... And for gosh sakes, if you going to play something in America put hard coded english subs in it lol....

Stray Dolls is a taut, suspenseful and engaging thriller from rising-star director Sonejuhi Sinha. When Riz, a 20-something Indian immigrant looking to start over in the USA, arrives at the Tides Plaza Motel looking for honest work, it soon becomes clear that the American Dream isn't universally granted to everyone, and she's soon pulled back into a life of petty crime with Dallas, her volatile but determined roommate.

Sinha's careful attention to lighting, color and tone can be seen in every shot, which lends the film a sense of coldness that deepens the viewer's unease.

The desperation of its characters makes the film hum with a sense of urgency that can be unsettling in a powerful way, as it forces the viewer to examine the comforts that we take for granted by inheriting an ingrained sense of belonging in this country.

Geetanjali Thapa infuses Riz with a cynicism born of world-weariness, but it is Olivia Dejonge's Dallas who steals the show with a combustibility that is electrifying to watch. While both of them could have easily come across as familiar tropes of the naïve immigrant and damaged teenage runaway, Sinha masterfully examines these tropes by cracking them open.

We don't have many examples of female-driven, seedy crime thrillers, and it's important to recognize that even in 2020, almost thirty years after the release of Thelma & Louise, we still have very few female antiheroes whose we can feel good about rooting for even as we're watching them be bad.

A darker version of Thelma & Louise. Solid acting from the main characters. The plot is flat at some instances but finishes strong.

My wife and I gave this film a go even though the ratings were low 4s and we're both glad we did! The story, acting, direction and cinematography were all at a very high standard. My wife and I both gave this a well earned 6/10 and advise you to ignore the low scores it's a very good independent movie that we both recomend.