Review of The Beguiled (2017) by Aceshop3 — 02 Jul 2017

The Beguiled is not a perfect movie, but it is the best movie I have seen all year. Sofia Coppola has finally made a masterpiece that in my opinion even puts Lost in Translation to shame. This movie is atmospheric, moody, and slow—it is not for everyone, and it is most definitely a slow burn.

The first time you like it you may wonder what the fuss is about. When I first saw it, I liked it but I wasn't blown away, but as the days went by, the film stuck with me because of one primary reason: Kirsten Dunst's performance as the heartbreaking Edwina.

In one character, Dunst encapsulates the purpose of the remake and Coppola's beautiful direction makes the film a rich, Southern Gothic-tinged, even playful meditation on isolation, repression, the power of sexuality and manipulation to upend well-established situations and dynamics.

Nicole Kidman and Colin Farrell are capable of handling their material. Kidman in particular brings nuance in surprising places, and tiptoes gracefully around camp to make this film darkly funny. Farrell on the other hand is extremely well-cast.

The other girls in the film round out the cast beautifully. All in all—an absolute delight, thought-provoking, and another career high performance from Dunst that has justifiably put her in awards conversation early.