Perhaps because All The Boys Love Mandy Lane was trailered at the cinema for what seemed like year, I was bored with the images to such an extent that I was reluctant to watch this teen slasher pic. Sadly, if I'd have watched it earlier I'd have got to experience this intelligent horror movie a little sooner.
Mandy Lane is a beautiful, but aloof and distant high school girl who the other girlies get along with and all the boys want to be with. A year after falling out with her male best friend she gets invited to a country house for a weekend break with the cool kids. Then a nutter takes them out one by one. Script wise the plot is obvious...so obvious that the killer is wisely revealed quite early on leaving a later plot twist to wrap up the movie (which is itself something that hovers as an obvious route for the story to take).
What saves the movie from overwhelming predictability is the unforced, realistic performances from the cast, some indie favoured direction and a subtle layering of psychological subtext; that we all project a persona and who not who we appear to be. The film has split audiences and critics down the middle, mainly down to it's ambiguous ending. I must admit, I was a little confused as to what to make of Mandy Lane hersef, beguilingly played by Amber Heard....Why did she do the things she did? Why did she change her mind? What did she really think of this person?
And then, in the middle of the night, it occured to me. Mandy's friends never got the opportunity to understand her...and neither do we. Because we, the audience, have become a character in the movie, experiencing the same confusing relationship with her that her friends did too. Mandy'a allure and mystery remains intact, right to the end credits. Nice one Miss Lane.
1 comment:
Another late party arrival for the Robster.
Saw this ages ago and really liked it. Someone took the idea of a teen slasher flick and added depth, smart stylish direction, good acting and a rather off balance/disturbing tone. This works as a psychological thriller as much as a stalk and slash...probably more so. The cast are all good with Amber Heard as Mandy being very good and very yummy!
In this age of insipid, formulaic, nutless, remake dominated so-called horror films it is great to have something trying to be a bit different that's willing to fuck around with its genre and audience.
I'm a boy and I love Mandy Lane.
Post a Comment