|
|
|
|
|
Sometimes it just takes the right person—and the right relationship—to bring a quiet person out of their shell and change their life forever. And in the haunting thriller Eileen, a timid girl finds that life-altering relationship with an alluring new co-worker.
Eileen stars Thomasin McKenzie as Eileen Dunlop, a quiet young woman who works at the prison all day before coming home to care for her alcoholic ex-cop dad (Shea Whigham) at night. But her monotonous existence is broken up by the arrival of the prison’s new psychologist, Rebecca (Anne Hathaway), a glamorous and sophisticated woman who doesn’t always play by the rules. Rebecca takes an interest in Eileen, and they quickly become friends. Their new relationship pulls Eileen out of her rut—but it soon takes a dark turn.
In the years since Eileen returned home to care for her ailing mother, she’s learned to go through the motions. She’s the typical dutiful daughter: quiet and plain and submissive. At work, she’s little more than a fixture; very few people even seem to notice that she’s there. Each night, on her way home from work, she stops by the town’s one bar to pick up her dad’s booze—and she comes home to take his verbal abuse in silence. But she has her own dreams and fascinations and fantasies that would surprise everyone.
Rebecca, meanwhile, is everything that Eileen isn’t—but wishes she could be. She’s strong and confident and strikingly beautiful—the kind of woman who turns heads and demands respect. And her attention turns Eileen into a new woman—one who gets dressed up and wears makeup, who drinks and smokes and goes out dancing. She’s captivated by Rebecca—and she believes that this new friendship could possibly turn into something more.
The setup here is gradual but suspenseful, clearly inspired by classic Hitchcockian thrillers. From the beginning, it feels like a film from a different time—with music and titles that send viewers right back to the ‘60s. Also like many of Hitchcock’s thrillers, this one doesn’t end as you might expect—but instead of leaving you shaken, it might leave you feeling like something here is missing.
Eileen is all about the atmosphere and performances. It’s haunting and eerie and seductive—and the cast here is pitch perfect. But while the story is tense and gripping, it just falls flat in the end.
You can explore this unexpected friendship when Eileen arrives in theaters on December 8, 2023.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
|
|
|
|
