The film in many ways is excellent with interesting underlying themes. For example the reference to biblical scenes and figures, the shot of the church, the family and psychiatrist sat in throne-like chairs, the themes of death and resurrection were all sewn into the narrative. The earring shot was also unnerving and an example of great fore shadowing.
The film twists between sci-fi and tense thriller. I really could have done without the toilet humour but that's just personal taste. I really felt like it pulled me out of that on edge feeling I at times felt.
I at times also felt Billy's paranoia and thought the way he was gas-lit was very well conceived and reminded me of the shady, authoritative figures working in psychiatry, and in general the figures of narcissistic, patriarchal capitalism.
I loved some of the throw back fashion- depicting shallowness and consumption of high society. I loved the high school fashion. They went for a snappy, polished feel paired with the over-the-top clothes adorned by the family and their counter parts. The only clothes worn I didn't get were Billy's - why was he wearing a suit three times too big for half the movie? Like where was he going? I thought at first he was going to a job interview.
I felt the film meanders in places and there are some gripes I have with unresolved plot, namely Billy's girlfriend Shauna, and her role being unfinished. What part she have to play beyond the scorned girlfriend? Her story was more central in the first half then kind of fizzled out whout any further exploration. Another example is Clarissa's mother- what were they trying to convey with her character? I feel there was a few edits to this movie that made it more clumsy and some scenes ended up on the cutting room floor.
Overall the film offers an amazing climax, the scene switches to a red lighting before the feast of flesh begins. It truly is a brilliant psyhco-sexual commentary and a peice of controversial art.
The final flaw I found was the fight in the end between Billy and Ted was quite childish, weakening the final scene as it seemed like some chauvinistic critique but done in a cheap manner.
Saying this, the film has flaws and therefore is brought down to a 7 as it needed to have a more defined point of view and wrap up it's plot points more cleverly. It should have been a 9.
The film twists between sci-fi and tense thriller. I really could have done without the toilet humour but that's just personal taste. I really felt like it pulled me out of that on edge feeling I at times felt.
I at times also felt Billy's paranoia and thought the way he was gas-lit was very well conceived and reminded me of the shady, authoritative figures working in psychiatry, and in general the figures of narcissistic, patriarchal capitalism.
I loved some of the throw back fashion- depicting shallowness and consumption of high society. I loved the high school fashion. They went for a snappy, polished feel paired with the over-the-top clothes adorned by the family and their counter parts. The only clothes worn I didn't get were Billy's - why was he wearing a suit three times too big for half the movie? Like where was he going? I thought at first he was going to a job interview.
I felt the film meanders in places and there are some gripes I have with unresolved plot, namely Billy's girlfriend Shauna, and her role being unfinished. What part she have to play beyond the scorned girlfriend? Her story was more central in the first half then kind of fizzled out whout any further exploration. Another example is Clarissa's mother- what were they trying to convey with her character? I feel there was a few edits to this movie that made it more clumsy and some scenes ended up on the cutting room floor.
Overall the film offers an amazing climax, the scene switches to a red lighting before the feast of flesh begins. It truly is a brilliant psyhco-sexual commentary and a peice of controversial art.
The final flaw I found was the fight in the end between Billy and Ted was quite childish, weakening the final scene as it seemed like some chauvinistic critique but done in a cheap manner.
Saying this, the film has flaws and therefore is brought down to a 7 as it needed to have a more defined point of view and wrap up it's plot points more cleverly. It should have been a 9.