From Variety · Natalia Winkelman · · 1m 10s
Closing Night: Sisters clash over secrets
Sarah Paulson and Naomi Watts ignite as estranged sisters forced to confront decades of rage in Cody Fern's darkly comic melodrama.
In brief
Sarah Paulson and Naomi Watts ignite as estranged sisters forced to confront decades of rage in Cody Fern's darkly comic melodrama. A film that balances sharp dark comedy with emotional weight, anchored by two powerhouse performances. Originally reported by Variety.
Two sisters, decades of rage
Sarah Paulson and Naomi Watts play warring sisters who explode with long-deferred confrontations and fiery disclosures in this darkly comic melodrama.
Dark comedy gives way to tears
The film's first two acts crackle with lively dark humor as the sisters clash, then shifts tone in the final act to become a traditional tearjerker.
Cody Fern's directorial debut
Australian actor Cody Fern, known for American Horror Story, makes his first feature film, co-writing the screenplay with Devon Bostick.
A tradition of female suffering
Fern consciously works within a rich tradition of matrilineal melodrama, positioning his fragile and anguished characters in a long lineage of cinematic heroines in extremis.
Turbulence fades into disappointment
The thrilling turbulence of the film's start and middle make the total despondency at the end feel a little disappointing.
“The thrilling turbulence of the film's start and middle make the total despondency at the end feel a little disappointing.”
The key point
A film that balances sharp dark comedy with emotional weight, anchored by two powerhouse performances.
