This is one of those movies that makes you want to take a long shower, possibly with bleach or steel wool. The ick factor is that high, though you see nothing. It reminded me of some of William Faulkner's short stories.John (Cillian Murphy) leads a quiet life in small town Peacock, Nebraska until a train derails in his backyard. Responders to the scene see a frazzled woman going into John's house. They assume he married and just didn't tell anyone. What they don't know is that John created "Emma" after the death of his tyrannical, abusive mother. With his secret dangerously close to being revealed, John is visibly on edge. Emma, however, sees her opportunity to finally achieve the dreams she's always had.
If you're thinking Psycho in the Midwest, you're not wrong. This goes much further into the dissociative identity, pulling the viewer along into the deepening web. Murphy is breathtakingly good in this double role, which goes far beyond just playing drag. Emma is a totally separate character who just happens to share a body with John. It's a phenomenal performance and I am shocked it didn't get more recognition.
No comments:
Post a Comment