Girl – Movie Review (4/5)

GIRL is a new thriller with a mystery. The main theme is revenge, but nothing seems to go as planned. A simple story with fascinating characters and solid performances. Bella Thorne is direct and raw in the title role. Read our full Girl movie review here!

GIRL is a new thriller by writer-director, Chad Faust, who also co-stars in the movie. While the main theme of the story is all about getting revenge, most of what happens is wrapped up in a mystery. And yes, you will get the answers you need before the credits roll across the screen. 

Overall, parts of this movie will probably feel familiar but it’s also a very fresh take on a well-known story about small-town dictators and bullies. A very strong feature film debut for the actor turned writer-director.

Continue reading our full Girl review below.

Proof that less is more

If you’ve read the plot for Girl, then you will know everything you need prior to watching this movie. The plot is very simple, but it only really describes the circumstances. What happens throughout the movie is what really makes it work.

I loved the fact that while the simple story unravels with more details and background information, there is no need to tack on any additional plot twists. Usually, screenwriters just cannot keep themselves from adding more drama and mystery to their stories. And if they can, then producers or directors will demand more.

In this case, the writer is the director as well as the co-star, and clearly has a tight grip on what this story needs.

While Bella Thorne is paramount to the success of this movie since she plays the title role, the woman portraying her mother is also damn cool. Known only as “Mama” in the credits – just as Bella Thorne is known only as “Girl” – she is portrayed by Elizabeth Saunders. You may recognize her from It (2017) as well as TV series such as Orphan Black, The Strain, or Alias Grace.

Oh, Mickey…

I do have to mention that while Mickey Rourke is still a good actor, his face is becoming an increasingly distracting factor. I’m sorry (not really!) but I need some sort of explanation. It’s a downright unnatural look and just a simple line to explain it. “Ever since my face got f*cked up in that accident, I haven’t been able to whistle” or something would help a lot.

In other words, I need it to be acknowledged, or else it is simply too much of a distraction.

Instead, I forget to pay attention to the dialogue because I’m wondering what happened to his mouth since the last movie I saw him in. And yes, his acting still does work, so please, help the audience pay attention to that instead of his face. It’s human nature to wonder and be curious, so help us along.

Watch Girl in theaters and on VOD!

As already mentioned, Girl was written and directed by Chad Faust. While he has already written and directed a few short films, this is his first feature film and it’s a damn strong one. Not too many characters and not even a huge budget. However, with a solid story and good performances from your cast, you’re more than halfway there before shooting even begins.

For Bella Thorne, this is a great role to show a much more serious side of her. Sure, she’s been in genre films such as The Babysitter and – more recently – the sequel The Babysitter: Killer Queen. However, while she is definitely out there in those movies, they are also very much horror-comedies.

You might like: Our review of the Netflix horror-comedy The Babysitter 2 co-starring Bella Thorne here >

There is nothing funny about the happenings in Girl. Or actually, Chad Faust himself does play “The Charmer” who will probably make you smile. But that’s still in a very different kind of way than a horror-comedy would.

GIRL will open in select theaters on November 20, 2020, before arriving on VOD platforms on November 24, 2020.

Details

Writer & Director: Chad Faust
Stars: Bella Thorne, Chad Faust, Mickey Rourke, Lanette Ware, Elizabeth Saunders, Glen Gould, John Clifford Talbot