Review of The Beguiled (2017) by Tim M — 09 Dec 2018

I'm not clever enough to know exactly how Sofia Coppola managed to make this film look as good as it does. Is it the framing? The lighting? Or did she just press the 'pretty' button on the camera? There's lots of fog in the outdoor bits, maybe that had something to do with it.

However it happened, it looks incredible. And the setup for the story (all girls school in the civil war has to is just dripping with drama that is ably squeezed out by the great performances and period setting.

Unfortunately, as so many films tend to, the wonderful first half is let down a bit by the final act. Just a bit too much, a bit too crazy, it doesn't quite pay off what had been set up in a satisfying way.

But up until it goes wrong, it gets so much right. Also, Elle Fanning never gets cast as happy characters. Her sullen facial muscles must be ripped. I hope she's happy IRL.