Peacock (2010) User Reviews

"Strange yet Satisfying Watch, Courtesy of Cillian Murphy"

[kimi_layercake · 7/10 · 19 October 2010]

"Peacock" is an extremely strange movie. It is based in a small town called "Peacock" where John (Cillian Murphy) is a bank employee and leads a solitary life. What everyone is unaware of is that John dresses up as a woman(calling self Emma) very morning and does all the household chores like cooking breakfast, making lunch, cleaning the house, washing clothes etc. After that, "Emma" dresses up as "John" and begins his day by eating the breakfast, putting on neat clothes, taking the lunch box (all prepared by "Emma"). This routine of "Emma" and "John" continues everyday with no one being aware of the presence of "Emma".Until one day, due some incident, "Emma" comes to the attention of the entire town and everyone thinks of "Emma" as "John's wife". As a result, "John" starts playing "Emma" more often than earlier to avoid unwanted scenarios and a lot happens showcasing "John" troubled mental health and his struggle to keep up with both "John" and "Emma".

Cast-wise, it's a plethora of talent. Cillian Murphy has always been prodigious actor. It's unfortunate that his performance in this movie didn't get the recognition it deserves. His was probably one of the best performances in the decade. Susan Sarandon, Ellen Page, Josh Lucas all have a small, yet pivotal role, played with intent and unfeigned.

"Peacock" explores the fragile and unstable mental health of "John" due to an abusive and extremely reserved childhood. It's clear that "John" is suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder, but the way both his personalities "John" and "Emma" competes with each others aspects, how they are aware of each others presence but do nothing to avoid it, how both have contrasting perceptions and beliefs, how both try to undo matters done by the other etc are portrayed superbly, but the overall premise is subject to multiple explanations.

Overall, "Peacock" strangeness lies in the fact that it offers or rather viewer can perceive multiple explanations for the turn of events in the movie. Having said that, "Peacock" is a satisfying watch, courtesy of Cillian Murphy.

My Verdict: 7/10

A movie with great psychological content

[e5312 · 7/10 · 15 January 2012]

As a start I have to add that in my opinion this movie was not a thriller. Yet it is really worth to talk about, so here it comes.

We're facing a quite interesting life here. John, your typical quiet bank clerk is a man with a serious case of dissociative identity disorder, caused by his irregular relationship with his mother in the past, a typical case of Freudian archetypes (usually I disagree with them when talking about the case of the mistakes mothers make when raising their children, but in this very movie I couldn't refer to anything else). In short, ever since the day his mother died, he cross-dresses and pretends to be a nice and friendly woman -who most people think is his wife-, Emma. Fighting the demons of his past, he's starting to loose control. The whole situation is driving him insane, making him unable to stop his alter ego, who seems to be taking over control and doing things he would never do. The ending most likely will not be what you were expecting for. It is quite sad on its own way.

The even better reason to treat this movie as something special is the amount of amazing acting in it. By checking the three main characters, you could already tell that you won't see anything disappointing, at least not at the acting part. And let me make this clear, my high expectations were fulfilled. I think I haven't seen such excellent acting in a really long time, so if the subject doesn't really interest you, you can still watch it for a memorable cinematic experience.

Oh and Susan Sarandon, she will never get too old to look beautiful. Her character was so warm and lovely, it fit her really well. Ellen Page (as the main cause I watched this movie for) also did great, the character of Maggie was impossible to not love. The scene when she told Emma how she got pregnant and started crying simply made me wish to be there and hug her. And of course -as most critiques mentioned-, CM really deserves an Oscar for his acting in this film. Playing such a complicated character as John Skillpa seemed to not cause him any problems, so as always all we can say is well done! If you wanted to see this movie for chills, I do not recommend you to watch it, but if you're open to see an interesting life story with lovable and realistic characters who could easily be people living next door or who you meet at the nearby store, I think you will really find this movie entertaining and will make you stop and wonder about how normal you and your life are.

Peacock (2010)

[robocopssadside-1 · 7/10 · 28 January 2011]

*mild spoilers*

John, a quirky bank clerk in Peacock, Nebraska prefers to live a life of solitude. Shortly after the passing of his mother, John develops a female split personality named Emma. She is a woman that cooks, cleans, leaves him grocery lists on the refrigerator door, and has every item he needs for work ready in the morning. No one knows the secret that John has until a train derails and comes crashing through his back yard, leaving him unconscious. John, as Emma, awakens to a whole group of confused townsfolk at the scene. However, none of them catches on. They all believe that John and Emma have been carrying on a hush-hush marriage. This, of course, becomes a problem for his private lifestyle, as she gradually becomes a helpful figure in the community.

It is unfortunate that a film with such a performance from Cillian Murphy has largely gone unnoticed. Peacock garnered no theatrical release, not even a film festival run; it went the dreaded way of straight-to-DVD last year. The story bares some resemblances to Hitchcock's classic, "Psycho"; a slow burning movie, but extremely attention grabbing, due to fascinating characters and the wonderment of where it is taking you.

Murphy is nothing short of awesome. Words cannot explain it with justice. When he transforms from John to Emma, it is not as simple as just throwing on a dress, a wig, some makeup and speaking with a higher voice. The two characters are like night and day, and at times, it feels as if you are experiencing performances from two very different people. John is an on edge, 'Crispin Glover-Willard' type character, that seems like at any moment could completely snap, or have a nervous breakdown. Emma, on the other hand, is walking tranquility, and completely kind hearted. She is a character that starts out small, but eventually has John pitted against her in a battle for identity.

The film has a solid supporting cast all around, though, no other character is given anywhere near the depth of John and Emma. Ellen Page plays Maggie, a struggling single mother trying to escape this futureless town, really by any means necessary. Susan Sarandon is Fanny Crill, wife of the town mayor (played by Keith Carradine), and owner of a shelter for young mothers and children. Page and Sarandon stand out the most, aside from Murphy, of course. Bill Pullman plays John's uncaring boss, and I think he may have a total four minutes of screen time. The same goes for Josh Lucas as the sheriff of Peacock.

This is director Michael Landers' full feature debut, and he in addition co-wrote the script. Judging from how well put together this is; he is definitely someone to keep an eye on. While a movie involving split personalities is certainly not new, this one shines with an interesting story and Cillian Murphy truly giving life to a divided character.

An intriguing drama

[Gordon-11 · 10 May 2010]

This film is about a young man whose life is radically changed by the death of his mother.

"Peacock" seems very slow at first, but as the story progresses, it becomes so captivating. The story follows John and the split personality called Emma. The two personalities fight with each other to control the situation. The abrupt ending encourages viewers to think hard about what happens in the film and makes viewers postulate what would happen next. It's clever story telling. Acting by Cillian Murphy is amazing, he is so at ease as Emma and so nervous as John.

The subject matter of "Peacock" may limit its popularity, which is a pity as this intriguing drama deserves wider recognition.

Compelling Movie

[phil_gee · 7/10 · 29 May 2010]

...Spoiler right at the beginning of this review...

This movie might have earned a 9 if not for the non-ending. Maybe I'm not that deep, but I like a finite ending, or at least something that suggests a finite ending, rather than just a fade to black with the main character sitting in a chair.

The story involves a troubled young man with a split personality: He's a painfully shy, neurotic male bank clerk, and he's also his own "wife," with the two personalities often at odds with one another. ("I'm my own boss. My wife can't tell me what to do," the male personality declares stridently to the town sheriff.) The plot essentially profiles the clash between these two halves of the person. As I mention in the title of this review, this is compelling stuff, as the lead actor is superbly convincing in both roles. As others here have suggested, this is an Oscar-worthy performance.

Too bad the writer and/or director didn't have an ending.

Great acting, weak plot

[stimpy_tr · 7/10 · 18 February 2021]

The acting of Cillian Murphy is outstanding. However, the movie falls short of the plot, such that, no one questions the resemblance of John and Emma and the only story is about the rally to be organized in their backyard. I think this is why the movie didn't get enough attention.

Weird but Fascinating

[crimsoneyez · 6/10 · 12 June 2010]

I think this movie was different than any other movie I have seen yet. The story of Emma and John Skillpa is weird in a sense that this could happen anywhere. Any man could be living like this in any part of the world and we may never know it. It's fascinating because we see that no matter how hard John tries, Emma always wins in the end. I'm glad that Emma ended whatever was started but I didn't like the end. I personally don't think it ended right and the alternate ending wasn't very good either. I find human behavior and personalities fascinating and to see these two things manifest themselves from one character is awesome and intriguing. The movie is weird because it's really slow and at times I didn't even want to try to finish it. I think it could've gone better. Cillian is a very amazing actor if he can pull off multiple personalities and can play a woman just as well as he can play a man. I don't think that I'll watch it over and over again but it was worth watching once. This isn't a movie that I'd buy at the store. It's not one of my favorite movies but it was good. It's not, in my opinion, a psychological thriller at all.

worth the watch a nice change of pace

[xpunk_rock_poetx · 5/10 · 29 May 2010]

Peacock is a very interesting, and original film. It tells the story of a small town bank clerk named John Skillpa, who has a very big secret. Little do his fellow towns people know that John also has a split personality, that happens to be a female. This causes him to dress as a woman to do chores for John, and to also cook him breakfast every morning. After a freak train accident in his front yard during his daily chores, he finds himself having to work extra hard to hide his other half from the towns people, and at the same time, trying to stay on top of the ongoing battle between his two halves.

Let me start by saying, this movie is far from a easy watch. Before I felt comfortable reviewing it, I ended up watching it a total of three times. It tends to leave a lot of questions to be answered by the audience on their own without ever confirming it within the film itself. So your first time through, you may find yourself confused to some degree. The acting in this movie is pretty amazing especially the lead Cillian Murphy playing both the role of John and his other personality Emma. In a time of endless remakes and cookie cutter scripts, Peacock is a very nice change of pace if you're willing to watch it with a open mind, and give something different a shot. This film won't be for everyone and honestly its more drama slash thriller than horror, but in the end I recommend you at least try to make it through it, and if you manage to do that you'll be rewarded with a real treat.

5/10 - Ritualistic The Liberal Dead http://liberaldead.blogspot.com

Cillian Murphy in Peacock

[kclawl · 10/10 · 30 September 2010]

This movie was excellent. The plot was deeper than you would believe. (not according to the vapid response from the first reviewer, which led to my review) Cillian Murphy plays a deeply emotionally disturbed individual, when brought out of his normal routine in his life is faced to deal with who, what and whom he will become. The suspense of such a psychologically deep and suspenseful story will keep anyone with the intellectual capacity to understand said story on the edge of their seats.

I for one would highly recommend it.

And yes Cillian Murphy's performance is.... breathtaking

Very good but left unsatisfied.

[simonfolka · 6/10 · 18 November 2020]

I really did like this film from almost start to finish, the acting by all involved is fantastic with some great people involved. Not easy subject matter but it was co-ordinated very, very well. I will not spoil it but i felt as though the whole film was building up to something, and at the end i just felt cheated. On the whole a quite unusual film with a good narrative, i just feel it could have been left with something very different at the end.

Is anybody blind?

[daniel-brees · 3/10 · 18 January 2022]

I am sure that if I wear a wig tomorrow and I put on some make up, my neighbours will recgnise me but, surprise, here nobody uderstands that Emma is John and John is Emma with a wig and make-up. RIdiculous!

Cillian Murphy gives an amazing performance--why has no one noticed?

[dinobird · 8/10 · 23 April 2010]

The film itself probably doesn't rate more than 3.5 stars because the plot of "Peacock" strains credibility a bit, but not nearly as much as it might have without Cillian Murphy's fantastic 5-star performance. In this film, he proves himself an actor with great scope and depth.

We learn at the outset (thus no spoiler here) that Murphis playing two characters, alternatively adopting the personality of an obviously dysfunctional young man during workaday hours as a bank file clerk--with a notable performance by Bill Pullman as his supervisor--and then transforming into his mysterious female counterpart, each living separate but connected lives in the same house. I'll say no more about the plot other than that it's a very original story, with appropriate nods to a few classics.

This is no "Tootsie" or "Some Like It Hot" cross-dressing story. This film and Murphy's performance are equally compelling and memorable. See it.

Creepy

[karl_consiglio · 6/10 · 20 May 2010]

I would be lying if I said I was not creeped out just a little. The film does hold you. No BOO fright clichés. Just that long sickening feeling that something crazy is gonna reveal itself. In the end does it? I dunno, maybe I would have preferred the alternate ending, I dunno. Cillian was great playing this part, there was something very Tim Roth about his eeriness. Obviously the film does recall Psycho. I like the clashing calmness dressed as Emma against the main character's nerves and fears. At the beginning of the film I thought the dude was an autistic adult. The train in the back yard, I believe its a metaphor, was awesome.

Completely Unrealistic

[Kia24 · 1/10 · 18 May 2018]

I cannot believe I wasted my time watching this nonsense. I'm going to keep this review short and simple like I wish they kept this movie. How are you going to tell me that in a town full of people who have known this man all of his life and work with him every day cannot tell when it's him dressed as a woman? Are they mentally deficient? The sheriff is fooled as well? Really?

I'm done

Cillian Murphy is superb in this "different" movie among all the cookie-cutter rom-coms.

[TxMike · 23 September 2010]

Some will compare this movie to "Psycho" and while it borrows some elements, it is a quite different story. Some reviews have the movie set in the 1950s, and that is what I first thought, but the car he drives looks like a mid-1960s to early 1970s Chevy.

Cillian Murphy is John Skillpa, lives alone, works in a bank, and has a very tightly scheduled routine. To say he is obsessive-compulsive is to greatly understate his situation. He has a very rigid conversational tone and seldom looks anyone in the eye. In quick flashbacks as the movie begins we see a somewhat troubled childhood, perhaps even child-abuse at the hands of his mother, who died only a year ago.

But we also see Emma Skillpa, living alone there. "She" is also played by Cillian Murphy. Emma cooks breakfast each morning, puts a plate over it, then goes upstairs, then at precisely 8:15AM John comes down to eat and go to work. Emma wears a dark wig, makeup, and a long dress but only comes out into the back yard to hang laundry, and no one else has ever seen her. Until a train caboose derails and crashes into the back yard. Then she is required to confront the public and a soft-spoken, self-assured woman emerges.

Ellen Page is Maggie, a local young lady with a young son, wanting to get out of Peacock, Nebraska. Susan Sarandon is Fanny Crill, activist and wife of the mayor. Keith Carradine is her husband, Mayor Ray Crill. Josh Lucas is police Officer Tom McGonigle. And Bill Pullman is John's supervisor at work, Edmund French.

The story gets complex and you never really know where it is going next. The best reason to see it is for the performance of Cillian Murphy as both John and Emma.

MAJOR SPOILERS: John and Emma are the same person, but with two distinctly different personalities and motives. They don't appear to know what the other is going to do, or has just done in that guise. Emma is apparently John channeling his dead mother. It turns out that Maggie's son is John's, a product of a wild night facilitated by John's mother two years earlier, probably in her own madness as a way to get John "to be a man." Emma fakes John's death, and is set up to try to adopt the boy, but she (he) realizes that the boy is not safe, he might meet the same fate that John did growing up, so Emma gives Maggie money and a ride to get her and the boy out of town and with relatives.

Worth watching!

[daggersineyes · 6/10 · 23 September 2013]

This is a surprisingly good movie that's well worth your time to watch. The story is OK, could've used a little fleshing out & judging by some of the negative reviews - maybe it needed to explain itself more. Although I think sometimes it's good to have movies that don't make it easy for the audience. The problem is, the audience don't support movies that are difficult so a perfectly good production often gets shoved aside (as this one did) in favor of more conventional straight-forward brain-candy.

The characters needed a little more development and it lacked a lot of suspense that could have been introduced. BUT the direction was generally good, there was some lovely camera work & thoughtful framing throughout which resulted in a great evocation of mood and vaguely sinister under-tones (just wish they'd gone somewhere more sinister!!). The back-story was intriguing but they rushed through that when it might have been better to expand on it - certainly it would have introduced more thrills & creepiness. But even so, the story works well enough and is thought-provoking and even heart-warming at times.

BUT the stand out in this movie is the acting, particularly by Cillian Murphy. Many people have already mentioned it was Oscar worthy and I'll add my voice to that opinion. I've never seen anything quite like it. I wish he'd been given a more gritty story to apply that amazing talent to in this movie. It was so close to getting there but just missed getting the edge it needed to make it a great movie. I was totally in love with Emma. She was portrayed so beautifully I was in her corner no matter what!! :)

I also agree with many others that a lot of viewers missed the point and nuances of this movie so they thought - incorrectly - that there was nothing to it. There's too much reliance these days on a movie having some awesome "twist" and if it doesn't deliver said "awesome twist" it's "pointless" or boring. I'm not sure when "twists" became a prerequisite to being an interesting flick. Peacock has it's share of twists (more than one) but they are small and do not define the movie. They are there to move the story along not to be clever. Peacock is better thought of as a character study revolving around what happens when a perfectly & obsessively ordered (right down to the minute) but pretty much insane lifestyle suddenly has the rug pulled out from under it.

Despite it's flaws this movie is a lot better than a large percentage of the stuff that ends up in wide theatre release and it's a crying shame this was just dumped to DVD without so much as a whisper.

Watch it - if only to see the awesome performance of Cillian Murphy. Even most of the negative reviews acknowledge how amazing he was. Most of the points I've given this movie are there because of him.

Insane and worth a watch

[rhefner2002 · 7/10 · 28 November 2020]

This film doesn't even try to avoid its glaring credulity issue; it just puts it right in your face and expects you to swallow your disbelief. Once you're able to do that....Well, things get even crazier. But it held my attention, thanks to Cillian Murphy's excellent performance. Murphy's character clearly has Oedipal issues stemming from his dead nut case mother. He's socially withdrawn and lives in a creepy house. We learn that he has mental problems and a split personality. Sound familiar? Murphy even looks like Tony Perkins. But this not a horror flick, although it's every bit as weird as _Psycho_ and there is a murder toward the end. I can't explain what it actually is--a character study, I guess. It's so bizarre, and it's so well done, I couldn't help but appreciate it. It infuriates me that films like this get no attention while insipid Hollywood pap gets millions in promotion dollars. No, it's not a perfect film, maybe not even a great one, but it's creative and it takes chances. Watch it, shaking your head in disbelief, and be entertained.

Great drama thriller which will keep you guessing

[mrcibubur · 7/10 · 22 May 2010]

Wow, watched it a second time because there were bits I watched the first time and missed. Tremendous drama thriller and yes, Gillian Murphy is the real star of this movie, Susan Sarandon plays a secondary role. Reminds me a little of Staaten island though the stories are totally different, a close knit community with secrets. Great drama.

I did wonder how come Ellen Page as Masggie didn't guess the double' character of Gillian Murphy, Adams Apple and all that, and her covering up, but never mind that or the poor storyline about the politics, i really liked this movie.

Yes, this film is no blockbuster and Susan Sarandon might have fitted in filming around Avatar. This is the first time to see Ellen Page since Juno and her acting potential is undeniable. Again, she plays a role, not stereo-typed, as a single parent with a kid and a problem, but great acting.

See this movie if you can, it is one which you will want to watch closely despite its slow pace. are Nebraska folk really like this?

Peacock

[henry8-3 · 4/10 · 22 September 2019]

Following the death of his mother, Murphy lives a life in relative isolation but as a dual personality - by day John, who works at the local bank and at home as Emma. When a train crashes by his house, his secret is threatened.

This is an interesting, slight, but not wholly absorbing drama, held together by a supremely convincing performance as John and Emma.

Great performance by Cillian Murphy

[trypanophobic34 · 8/10 · 19 May 2010]

I'm not sure why this has such a low rating. It's not perfect, or a mind-blowing experience or something, but I thought it was a really interesting story, well-acted, especially with a wonderful performance by Cillian Murphy. It's sort of a Psycho-like story, without ever venturing into suspense or horror.

It's about an incredibly socially inept, anxiety-ridden young man named John, whose mother has died a year previously and he's been traumatized/psychologically damaged by the loss. He seems to have been both coddled/protected and smothered/extremely isolated by his mother's hermetic, semi-abusive love. She was all he had, exactly because of the way she raised him and formed his relationship to the world. Her upbringing of him, and also to a smaller extent her subsequent death/taking away of herself, both contributed to cripple him in his relationships with others. Not that much is revealed about her even by the end, and I would have liked to know more.

Cillian Murphy is so interesting and engaging to watch as the Willardesque character John, and the completely different female character, Emma, who is mild, benignant, with a quiet strength. I didn't ever not sympathize with Emma, even though I knew she was calculating. I pitied John, whose face is like a parade of his shifting emotions: his neurotic shyness, anxiety, almost childlike anger, and emotional frustration.

Cillian even looks different as John; he changes his appearance through his acting: through the way John purses his lips, carries his body, and his nervous facial tics, etc. (you will see what I mean when you see it). When he's Emma, he also looks different in accordance with her different personality. It's not like anything I've ever seen before! He must be doing something right, to be playing a character so different from his usual self, and two characters who are so different from each other, in such a thoroughgoing, immersive way as to be utterly convincing as each. It's like he completely becomes John, and then becomes Emma, and neither is at all "Cillian."

I think this movie deserves at least a 7. Some people have said that the story isn't that credible, but I didn't find anything wrong or that off about it (it's just that it doesn't really explain everything about his mother or her "true" nature, ultimately), and the protagonist himself is the driving force behind the movie, as he should be. Besides, it's a shame when people can't suspend their disbelief just a little when it's not really that central to the point of the movie and recognize the merit of it. I couldn't help thinking that maybe some people just don't like to see Cillian Murphy in a more humbling or "weird" role, and that's why they didn't enjoy it more.

I think a better title would have been "Emma," it's simple yet it really suits the movie and makes more of a point than "Peacock," which doesn't really evoke anything apart from just being the name of the town.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side

[MikeyB1793 · 7/10 · 16 March 2014]

This is on the weird side of things. It's about a troubled man with a tortured upbringing who dresses as a woman every morning. He successfully hides this from the community until the day a railway accident comes barreling through his back-yard while his woman-side is hanging up the clothes.

All the neighbors in the small town think it is his newly hidden wife. So new relationships ensue within the town. And the situation becomes rather tangled with his "wife" impersonations leading to conflicts of interests.

It's a slow progression that fortunately never becomes over-wrought. The acting by Cilian Murphy in both roles is first rate.

The ending is somewhat inconclusive and unbelievable - and that brought my rating down.

An Ambitious Failure

[brenttraft · 4/10 · 21 April 2010]

I think I'm safe to say that any film that goes straight to DVD without any sort of theatrical release can be considered a failure. "Peacock" is an ambitious film but it is very flawed. Lionsgate did the right thing by sending this film straight to DVD.

***************SPOILERS*********************************************

"Peacock" is the story of a schizophrenic transvestite named John, who lives in a small town that has kept his alter ego, Emma, a secret for a year. Then there is an incident that brings the alter ego out into the public. Surprisingly, nobody recognizes that Emma is the same person as John and they assume that she is John's secret wife.

Probably the biggest flaw of the film is that nobody recognizes that John and Emma are the same person. Emma looks like a man in drag. Unfortunately, the whole movie revolves around the premise that nobody recognizes John, so the filmmakers had to use some creative license. For me, it was not believable.

**************END SPOILERS***********************************

The second biggest problem is that it is slow and dreary. The film clocks in at 90 minutes but it feels a lot longer. There is not much that happens, there is no memorable dialog, and the supporting characters have no depth.

The main reason to see "Peacock" is Cillian Murphy, who plays John and Emma. He is in every scene and almost every shot and does a fine job in a difficult role.

The rest of the big name actors are good but wasted. Ellen Page is horribly miscast as a prostitute and single mom. Her character is never really fleshed out. The only reason we know that she is a prostitute is that somebody offers her money in one scene. Other than that, we would never have guessed. It's like the screenwriter couldn't decide if she was just some girl who works in a diner or a prostitute, so they left it ambiguous. This is a really small role and Ellen Page is only on screen for about 15 minutes. I wish she had picked a better movie and a better role for trying to transition from comedy to drama.

Susan Sarandon, Josh Lucas, and Keith Carradine are all good in their small roles but I don't know what Bill Pullman was doing in this film. He plays John's overbearing boss almost like a comedic role while the rest of the film is dreary and depressing.

Also, the time period is ambiguous. I think it takes place in the 50's or 60's but it might be later. The cinematography is dark and burnished, adding to the dreary mood. The music is sometimes overbearing and is one of the worst soundtracks I can remember hearing. Music in movies should add to the atmosphere or create a mood. In this film, it calls too much attention to itself.

"Peacock" has some obvious nods to "Psycho," (some of the people involved in the production even mention it in the "making of" feature) but you cannot even to begin to compare the two. "Peacock" is a film that takes a lot of chances but should have been a lot better. I'm sure everyone involved will move on to make better films in the future.

Cillian Murphy deserves an Oscar

[kschiller-2 · 10/10 · 17 April 2010]

One of the best performances I have ever seen.

If you're reading this, you probably know it's a midwestern Gothic about a split personality. A guy in a small midwestern town who upon the death of his abusive mother, invents a second personality, a woman who puts on mom's wig and dresses and cooks, cleans, gives him grocery lists, etc from behind the tall wooden fence of their gloomy house on the edge of town. An accident unveils the female to the town, they never guess she's him, and as she gets drawn out into the doings of the town, the two personalities battle for control.

The movie is patient and atmospheric, seemingly inspired by those psychological and wonderfully strange early Polanski movies, Repulsion and The Tenant. There are shots through lace curtains, and just an overall creepiness in lieu of the JUMPS (!) and SCARES (!) of modern movie-making. I liked that. It was a character study. It was subtle, maybe too subtle for the ADD generation. You really have to pay attention or else you miss critical story beats, which are offered subtly.

Sure, split personality is gimmicky. Aren't we tired of movies using severe mental/psychiatric conditions as the premise for a movie, especially a dark one? The saving grace here is Murphy who brings humanity to the situation. You understand that he was abused on childhood and believe the psychotic break could have occurred. And he humanizes both characters. John, the guy, is a great performance in its own right, one that would get lots of attention if it weren't for the other character, who is kind of a jaw-dropper, Emma.

You buy her as a totally separate character, you believe the town buys her as a separate character, and somehow, and I don't really understand how Murphy did this, but you also find yourself sympathizing with her agenda, even as you understand it is selfish and dangerous. You just somehow LIKE her. It's a strange to have your own morality turned on itself by sympathy. Quite a trick.

Page is strong, too, as is Sarandon. But Murphy's performance is as good as any you'll see anywhere ever. He's an actor's actor, and this is the role of his career, so far.

How does this not get released? How does this not go to Festivals like Sundance, Toronto and Tribeca? That seems a crime, I so wish I could have seen this on the big screen. Beautifully photographed and designed, the resumes of the people involved are strong. I wish I could have seen it with a nice crowd at the Angelika, would have made for a memorable night.

Well, great that it exists. Go Cillian.

Strange film

[nicholls905-280-546911 · 5/10 · 29 October 2019]

Well acted film and further evidence Murphy is criminally underrated. I mainly found the issues being in the pacing and storyline. The film doesn't become anything more than interesting with the central concept. There was a chance to break the mould surrounding this film, but sadly they tread on safe ground. We're robbed from some of the creepy moments and the film lacks the strength to take us to those out there moments. I wanted to really like this, but sadly I didn't.

Low rated

[ysmnysaa · 4 March 2019]

This movie just reminded me how good Cillian Murphy is. Acting was over the top. Unfortunately I couldn't find it subtitled, so I watched it dubbed in my language. The only problem I had was, I didn't understand what happened at the end. The psychological side of movie was good and it got me thrilled at some moments.