Stoker (2013)
Written By: Wentworth Miller
Directed By: Chan-wook Park
My Rating: 4.5/5
India's beloved father dies unexpectedly on her eighteenth birthday, leaving her with her mother Evie, with whom she has a cold relationship, and her uncle Charlie, who suddenly appears in her life for the first time. Charlie has an odd, creepy charm, and he stirs longing -- verging on obsession -- in both India and Evie.
As the story unfolds, Charlie's sociopathic nature becomes increasingly clear. What we don't know is his motive for suddenly involving himself in the lives of his brother's widow and his niece. Probably the most intriguing part of the film is the shifting, increasingly unsettling dynamics among India, Evie, and Charlie. One of them will inevitably become a victim, but we aren't sure who it will be.
Stoker is visually mesmerizing with a wonderfully dark Gothic feel. India is at the center of the film. She is a strange, watchful girl, prone to chilly silences. India's one real passion seems to be for hunting. Her parents' mansion is filled with her trophies: stuffed birds. (Shades of Psycho.) She sees the world in a odd, disconnected way, focusing on visual details and distant sounds most people wouldn't notice, and the director's lens skillfully shows us the world through her eyes.
This is a gorgeous, suspenseful movie that evokes a strange, disquieting mood that thoroughly absorbed me. This will undoubtedly be one of my favorite movies of the year.
Good review Steph. A very odd movie, but one that could have literally went anywhere, at any given time. Even better, it was written by Wentworth Miller, which makes me happy to know that the dude's got a talent that extends beyond his alright acting-skills.
ReplyDeleteIt's undoubtedly one of my favourite movies of the year too! Loved Kidman and Wasikowska in this :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so intrigued, I can't stand it.
ReplyDeleteStill coming to terms with the fact that this was written by Wentworth Miller. Awesome.
Great review! I loved this one too, it was so twisted.
ReplyDeleteGlad you appreciate this too, Steph! I normally don't go for this type of twisted dark thriller, but I ended up liking this one. Park's got an eye for details as well that adds so much to the mood of the film.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to love this one, but it felt a bit distant for me. While it's technically brilliant, I was never engaged with the film. Perhaps I'll like it more on a second watch.
ReplyDeleteHappy you loved it, so far it's in my top 5 of 2013. I've since seen a couple more from this director(Oldboy and Thirst), which are pretty good, but my gut feeling is Stoker is my favorite of the three. Maybe on rewatch that would change, who knows.
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