Allure (IV) (2017) User Reviews

great actors need help

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 13 July 2021]

Laura (Evan Rachel Wood) is a house cleaner. She's troubled and sexually promiscuous. She starts a new job at a family home and befriends the teenage pianist daughter Eva (Julia Sarah Stone). Eva runs away from home and lives with Laura.

This has the greatness of Evan and a nice newcomer in Julia. The plot is pretty thin and some scenes are too quiet for stretches. Sometimes, it's giving these characters room to breathe. Sometimes, it's a slow nothingness. I like the movie but I would definitely condense it to give it more intensity. Also the filmmakers don't seem to know how to elevate the danger. The movie needs to pump up the tension especially with the first thirty minutes. It needs to squeeze in some higher stakes in every scene. This indie has a few smaller indie awards but it's not good enough to get to a higher level.

So-so...

[deloudelouvain · 6/10 · 29 May 2020]

Didn't know what to expect, gave it shot, not the worst nor the best, that's about it when I was thinking what to say about this movie. The theme of the movie isn't really a thing I like to watch, find it a bit disgusting, so not my idea of fun for watching a movie. The acting was most of the time good but there are some passages where it lacked enthusiasm and it showed. I like movies with a satisfying ending but Allure isn't one of them. I don't regret watching it but won't watch it again.

Two Great Actresses

[Jephy1 · 2/10 · 4 January 2021]

Both actresses sell their roles beautifully. Here, it is the script and screenplay that just doesn't fly. Not helping at all were the many scenes in this film that were photographed with such dim lighting that it was hard to see what was going on! You really had to work hard to watch this movie.....literally. Screenwriter and film students will want to watch this one to know what NOT to do.

A Psycho/Horror Thriller, Not a Lesbian Romance

[terrikairos · 29 June 2020]

This film reveals the psycho-sexual/abusive dynamics in kidnapping a naive and vulnerable teenager by someone who is a liar, manipulator, and psychotic who also happens to be a lesbian. The kidnapper seduces the young victim into a pseudo-sexual relationship, a relationship the victim does not welcome or understand. That this movie is classified in the genre of a LGBTQI film is totally unconscionable. It's a horror film.

Started promising, but then...

[MovieCriticOnline · 1/10 · 19 March 2018]

It became messy. The constant out of nowhere outbursts. I wish the script had been better structured, because it had potential.

If you are going to tease the audience with the seductive trailer, then you also need to show some of it, but unfortunately it kept getting cut short of anything ever happening, which you'll know what I am talking about if you see it.

The writers/directors should have focused on the relationship between Laura and the teenage girl, but it just seemed to go into other directions that it didn't need to. It could have been a better film with the manipulative relationship between the older women and the teenage girl and raising the stakes of her wanting to leave or be discovered.

It just got weirder and weirder. And the acting was good, so it's just a shame. There were a lot of calm moments and then out of nowhere -- craziness -- and not in a good way.

The subject matter was just not handled right. The movie just went down hill, fast - unfortunately. Just too many things happened that weren't believable.

In Praise of Victimhood

[lavatch · 3/10 · 27 May 2023]

There is nothing like an expression of love in "Allure," a film that was listed as a romance. The ultimate realization of the protagonist Laura is that she must live "alone." Unfortunately, she is going to be surrounded by more company than she could possibly imagine...in prison.

The principal action of the film is Laura's kidnapping, false imprisonment, and felony association with sixteen-year-old Eva whom she met while cleaning Eva's family home. While in captivity, Eva bonds with Laura in an expression of the Stockholm syndrome. One feels for young Eva throughout this gruesome experience.

The actions of Laura were almost too appalling to believe, including the moment when she visits Eva's home and agrees to post lost-child posters from a distraught mother. The irony is that Laura has a good life with a decent job and a home purchased for her by her father.

The slow-paced film was also hampered by lighting so dark that it was nearly impossible to see the action. During one of these scenes, Eva takes a deep dive in a public swimming pool and apparently surfaces with the realization of leaving Laura. But the scene, like many others, was hopelessly confused.

The abuse suffered by Laura due to her father unfolds the main theme of the film in victimhood. But it turned out that Laura's actions were no different from her father's. But rather than explore how some are able to rise above their past, the filmmakers allow their characters to wallow in it. Despite the fine performances, "Allure" was an utterly depressing film with no redeeming values.

Twisty erotic thriller!

[asifahsankhan · 7/10 · 5 June 2018]

Evan Rachel Wood stars in this twisty erotic thriller about a cleaner who strikes up a friendship with a client's daughter.

A woman sits up and inhales. This is the first thing we see in Allure, the feature debut of brothers Carlos and Jason Sanchez, previously best known for their work in photography. "What the hell's wrong with you, you crazy bitch!" a man tells the woman, after they have had disengaged, violent intercourse that puts her very much on top and leaves him feeling exploited and emasculated.

Allure may open with a sex scene, but it is defiantly unsexy: mechanical, angry, abusive, and ending abruptly in the frustration of both participants. The woman is 30-year-old Laura (Evan Rachel Wood), a house cleaner working for the company owned by William (Denis O'Hare). When we first meet William, he seems to be an old ex of hers - but we soon learn that he is actually her father, anxiously indulging her destructive sexual behaviours with co-workers and others out of familial obligation. "Anyone else would be fired for this," he says - but he keeps her on, and keeps an eye on her.

Meanwhile, Laura is drawn to 16-year-old Eva (Julie Sarah Stone), who is deeply unhappy that she must move in with the new boyfriend of her cosseting mother (whose house Laura cleans). "You don't have to let your mother make your decisions for you, or control your life," Laura reassures Eva, with an irony that will only gradually become apparent, and so she encourages Eva to move in with her instead, without telling anyone. As police search for Eva, Laura shifts from being cool big sister to controlling mother - with an inappropriate sexual element coming between the women as well - and Eva finds herself a prisoner, physically but also psychologically.

Allure is the story of an abusive relationship (or of two, actually). For as we watch Laura manipulating, gaslighting and emotionally blackmailing her confused and sexually inexperienced young ward, it is clear that this is a replay of Laura's own traumatic loss of innocence. If Laura, in all her isolation and conflicted neediness, becomes 'sugar mama' to Eva, she also has a sugar daddy who is giving her employment and accommodation both to assuage his own guilt and to keep her close.

Shot by Sara Mishara in (mostly) long shots and subdued colours, Allure adopts a certain clinical distance from its three main characters which somehow - paradoxically - both eschews moral judgement and invites sympathy. Everyone here is caught in the toxic damage of someone else's desperation, and although the film is for the most part rigorously realist in its presentation, occasional shots of someone (it is too dark to tell who exactly) sinking and drowning in liquid shift the film's themes of emotional suffocation to the realm of metaphor.

Allure sets itself up to be an erotic thriller, but is all the better for avoiding cheap bunny boiler tropes, and instead focusing on character. Though hardly new, the notion that nobody abuses like a victim is here intensified by breath-taking performances all-round.

Made it to minute 26

[ixtlan · 1/10 · 28 December 2018]

I knew what was coming. I wasn't interested. And how was I supposed to believe anything about the story after the first scene? It seemed gratuitous. I didn't want to hang in to find out how it fit in or if it fit in. As the minutes went by it just seemed like someone's fantasy of what a nasty girl must be like.

Another bold role taken on by a talented actress

[michaeljtrubic · 7/10 · 21 September 2017]

Evan Rachel Wood plays a very troubled character.

She is suffering, she is in pain.

We watch her interactions with other characters without understanding fully what is going on - we have to piece this together like a mystery because in fact it is.

It's a film that will bring viewers together afterwards for a discussion.

Fortunately she was at my screening to help with my questions.

Thanks to her, her co-stars and the filmmakers for accompanying it to 2017 Tiff.

Shocking lesbian love scene?

[tsn-48730 · 3/10 · 23 September 2023]

The single most shocking thing about what might have been a lesbian love scene just before the end of the film is that it may have actually been the only lesbian love scene in an entire film that is advertised as a lesbian erotic romance/triller, but we don't know if it even happened. We're not even sure it happened...or if there ever was one in the whole film. This is not an LGBTQ+ love film.

It's a story about how a father's sexual abuse of his daughter echoed down to the next generation, damaging his daughter grievously (which he sadly gets away with). His daughter, Laura, struggles through life as a lesbian wanting a normal life with another woman, in this case a younger Eva (& yes I know she's too young), but is unable to have any form of sex to orgasm, except in an aggressive, even painful manner. And apparently only with men.

So is she a lesbian? Certainly and not because she was sexually abused as a child, though that certainly might account for her beef for violence and anger during sex. Is Eva? Almost certainly. The first time Laura asks her to share her bed she very eager to so. When Laura gets into bed kisses her on the cheek, turns off the light and then just rolls over and says goodnight (especially after just removing her top) without making a pass at her was obviously disappointing for her. Julia Sarah Stone did a brilliant job of going through facial expressions from young eager curiosity and anticipation when Laura was removing her shirt, to confusion and disappointment when she realized she was not about to have her lesbian virginity taken. From what I can tell from Laura's violent (& painful), unsuccessful attempt to have at least some kind of sex with her right at the end, she stayed a lesbian virgin. Maybe that was part of the point.

This is a sad drama about a whole group of damaged people, who most likely never will recover or change or even get much better than they are now. Very dark and very much a drag.

Some will love some will hate no doubt

[bloodmist88 · 8/10 · 4 January 2019]

I saw Evan Rachel Wood and knew it had to be at least a decent movie. I was not let down. She renders a believable character, with realistic emotional expressions , with good and bad. And Julie Sarah doesn't disappoint either. It's pretty much a given that this movie won't be everyone's cup of tea and not just because of the plot which is touchy to begin with. It's not quite your run of the mill movie, it doesn't follow the pattern you see in most movies, it doesn't really offer the kind of gratification and structure many people are used to when viewing movies that are considered good. Rather it's pleasantly and/or painfully realistic both in the backstory and the emotions that are conveyed. It's meant to be that way, it's meant to represent a kind of drama that happens in real life whether we want to acknowledge it or not. In several respects one can draw a parallel between this movie and for instance Lolita, but not the movies in which the plot was altered somewhat to be allowed on screen, but the book. The lines are blurred, and there's no clear cut value of right or wrong that we are mostly used to in movies. And after all is said and done, can we really say where an abuse victim ends and an abuser begins? No, we can't but what this movie may force us to do if we allow it is to empathize with the characters and that isn't meant to bring any closure or relief either. There are joyful moments and gut wrenching moments but overall there is an underlying heaviness that never leaves throughout. There's just two people in need of rescue, in need of feeling loved and understood who happened to be on the same orbit for a while and this is a fragment of their lives. No happy ending no explanation. It's up to the viewer to understand and feel what they're going through.

Beautifully Disturbing

[mr_moojab · 7/10 · 23 July 2021]

The two main actresses in this movie are wonderful. Especially Evan Rachel wood as a spiraling lonely woman. This movie captures how relationships can quickly turn toxic and abusive. It shows broken and lost souls trying to find love and happiness. It's not a feel good movie, but if you enjoy character driven films it's great.

Very nice BUT..

[midovich · 7/10 · 30 December 2022]

The movie was going very nice, I really like it but there was a problem. I wonder how they didn't notice it?!!

After Eva moved to live with Laura. Laura was very worried if someone know that Eva is living with here as she is just 16 years old. She almost hide here.

But later they began to go out together we didn't see them doing any effort to hide Eve or know any information about the police investigations!!!

It was very easy to fix this problem without affect the movie tempo.

But rather than that I like how everything is going , the script ( just this point), the acting the cinematography and directing.

WATCHABLE

[chirayilsubin · 7/10 · 22 August 2021]

This film shows 2 charecters who are emotionally broken, with their chaotic situations in their life. Find hard to keep going on. Finally these charecters found each other and they able to get to know each others taste. Laura allured Eva and Eva obeyed what is said by Laura, that's what the name of this movie meant. They fell into love each other. This film shows how their life going after that, would they be able to keep up their relationship or not.

Powerful portrayal of mental health and the domino effect of manipulation and codependency

[alyciawilson-59666 · 8/10 · 4 December 2019]

Wasn't sure what to expect... but both main actresses Evan Rachel Wood and Julia Sarah stone were incredible. The first scene made me think "I'm sorry... what the hell is happening?" But was intrigued as to how it would all play out and there are quite a few layers of manipulation of different characters and the effect on their behavior it can trigger if never dealt with. I saw someone say "too many impossible things happening," and I can say that during the whole movie I saw interactions that were immediately familiar to me through my own life in a codependent relationship and many of my friends in manipulative relationships especially with the extremely uneven dynamic such as these characters. Honestly Evan Rachel woods character is a stereotypical storyline of an adult who grew up never dealing with the abuse inflicted on them, especially that of a parent/family member where you can't always just escape your abuser... and then they go over board "taking care" of you almost like a penance they do out of guilt which a lot of the time will stunt the growth of maturity of the victim. I mean I think it was such a textbook storyline that I'm surprised some think it's fantastical.... but maybe they don't know as much about these types of situations in real life to recognize them. It's a rollercoaster for your emotions for sure. I was extremely uncomfortable with the intimate scenes because of the ages... but luckily the actress playing the teenage girl was much older than she looks... I kept thinking "please make it stop," but I think that's what makes those scenes so powerful... they were used to show the complete difference in experience and understanding of intimacy. I also read a review who complained something like "if you make a steamy preview then you should show it..... they always stop it right away," and if you're watching this to see some erotic lesbian scenes with a grown woman and a teenager then like this commenter you are going to be completely disappointed and should search that up on Pot hub. There's definitely a lot going on... and again I don't find a lot of it that far fetched like some who didn't understand these things... but again I'm very interested in sociology, mental health and am a survivor of sexual assault as well as physical abuse which I'm glad not everybody can say.... but I think they did a great job with the characters and the way it played out... except with Evans father in the movie... felt like that one was left with an ellipses. All in all the movie is driven by the emotions of the characters... not as many huge crazy events with a lot of background characters... but thought they did a pretty good job of it!

Hard to watch, but worth it.

[daciracher · 9/10 · 14 June 2018]

If you've ever experienced an emotionally abusive relationship, this movie will probably ring true. I was intrigued by the way Laura was portrayed: not as a villainous one-dimensional abuser, but a woman in pain and inflicting pain. Evan Rachel Wood and Julia Sarah Stone had a great frenetic chemistry. Wood's obvious mental fractures and Stone's fear/sympathy combined to make a potent tension throughout. Many long, thoughtful silences and static shots. The camera work was brilliant. This isn't one of those films you'd pop in the DVD player on a Friday night, but I would recommend it for anyone seeking a quality character study.

Probably ONe Of the MoSt Intriging Stories I'Ve seen IN a While

[stefanelectric · 10/10 · 13 July 2018]

I personally love this movie I think its sexy and Alluring but traumatizing at the same time. The film focuses on Evan Rachel Wood and 30 year old woman that has suffered sexual and mental abuse. She's looking for love in all the wrong places to try to fulfill a void that she has within herself. So she turnes to a young girl (actually underage) and seduces her in to staying with her. The film just shows that abuse is no joke . She was incapable of loving the way a normal person can love. The film is really turbulent and she suffocates the girl to appoint where she doesn't know where to turn. It started out as a strong attraction but ended up that she felt obligated stay out of pity . The girl played by Evan was abusive sexually and mentally . To truly understand how powerful this film is you would have had to had gone through something like this. Its a great watch and Evan as usual plays a stunning androgynous female . This is a good watch if like realistic extremely dark and disturbing sexy films.

Incredible performance

[bilgedelice-12757 · 9/10 · 13 December 2018]

You're awesome Evan Rachel Wood.. Congratulations..

The power of acting

[rizaozal-622-56701 · 8/10 · 20 February 2021]

I guess everyone can imagine how difficult was the role Rachel played in this movie. She has a unique face and body and she's so talented.

Worthy...

[jelencesb · 9/10 · 5 July 2020]

I know that audience could shy away from this movie for a few reasons which they may find disturbing. But if you could get yourself clinically detached for an hour and so of this movie you surely won't be disappointed at all! And I say that as an avid movie and tv watcher. Rarely something had had my attention as this movie and it had me captured. We may put laurels on Evans head for pulling her role flowlessly just as she does every single time, but all of the other actors did their job amazingly! You can only enjoy the performances!

Also from all other artistic sides movie had been built very nicely and the attention had been paid to it thoroughly! So yeah this is something I rarely do but I do recommend watching this movie most sincerely!

A calm Romance Movie

[towhidmahee · 10/10 · 4 May 2020]

I love the lesbian couple . 😍😍😍 This movie is so good . Julia sarah stone is so cute !

Was so True ; The Truth Hurts.

[billyspearman · 10/10 · 13 April 2023]

This movie was very compelling and kept you interested throughout its entirty. Both of the main actors possessed a real Knowledge of the bad exploitation that sometimes happen in life.. Her father played a role as the villain,, He played it with a profound understanding of his part,, He showed rhere Is consequences Of his actions That would seem so horrible To the viewer.

This movie never dragged on and Possess that quantitative factor that kept everybody interested in watching the movie through its entirety.. Sometimes I wanted to look away from what was happening though they kept my attention and I watched through it.. I gave this movie a 10 as it reflected on how some of society is sadly a reality to many people in our society..