In this fun queer romp with elements of fantasy and road movie classics that I won’t insult you by naming we get under the skin of a typically world weary Kristen Stewart (a grimy dead end gym employee called Lou) and Katy O’Brian as Jackie, a passing through drifter that’s proud owner of a hugely ripped body. She’s en-route to a muscles competition in Las Vegas. And she’s really rather beautiful.
The two fall in love whilst carnage plays out in their lives. Wife beating, drug dealing, revenge killings, and so on mean that the movie is peered with sub-Tarantino violence, some black humour, some meta moments and the possibility of Jackie turning green.
It’s not A24’s greatest film and it’s not Kristen Stewart’s, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good.
It is.
It’s beautifully shot with quite a dark grading and it’s hot and sweaty throughout, reflecting the grime of where they live in middle America (it’s actually filmed in New Mexico).
A24 (along with Film 4 here in the UK) make challenging, arty, but approachable films, this is another of them. It might not hit the heights of Mia Goth’s movies but it’s fine fare.
The whole queer aspect of the movie could be its raison detre but I liked how it was just there, not flag flying, not political. It added great value to the movie.
The scene where Kristen Stewart is regurgitated/birthed by mouth is particularly amusing and noteworthy.
Kristen Stewart has to be applauded, not just for this but for most of her work which has moved her a million miles from Twilight (Kerching , job done) She is a very fine actor and should be building a war chest of Oscars. Not for this one. But I thought her Diana was extraordinary.
gibberish 