Greta (Neil Jordan, 2018): Ireland | USA

Reviewed by Kaio Farkouh.

The film starts with a charming song, with a tracking shot of our character that we would be late introduced, Greta Hideg (Isabelle Huppert). Directed by Neil Jordan (“The Crying Game”), the director shows a movie with charming characters in a charming town. Characters who tends to believe in each other, in world where people do not, and sometimes even should not.

The story follows the story of Frances McCullen (Chloe Grace Moretz), who finds a bag in a train and decides to take it back to the owner, where she meets Greta Hideg (Isabelle Huppert). With that, they start to develop a friendship, a get closer and closer. When during a dinner, Chloe’s character finds more bags, with different names and documents and she knows that she might be in a big problem. She decides to not see Greta again, but Greta can not let her go.

What it stood out for me, it is the fact that the movie tells us a good story, about what it is to be alone, to not have a family close by and how it is to trust. With a good screenplay written by Ray Wright (“The Crazies”) and Neil Jordan. With some cheesy dialogues, and some weird decisions the movies fails to tell us a story about a suspicious women, however it is save by its two main actress, Chloe Grace Moretz (“Let Me In”) and Isabelle Huppert (“Elle”).

Most of the movie, we have the relationship between Frances and Greta. Frances is a girl who lost her mom, and is open, kind and trust her new friend. But the best part of the movie is Isabelle Huppert, she plays an old lady who seeks friends and attention. She is so sweet at first, but as the movie goes on, she is so weird, and you have no idea how good of a stalker/psycho she does, but she still has feelings behind all of her acts.

“Greta” brings good aspect of vulnerability, isolation and attention. It works because its good cast, specially Isabelle Huppert. Which brings a good tension, whenever she is in scene. Bringing some type of kindness and vulnerability, however she only looks nice, and because of her, it works as a thriller, but it does not work to tell the mystery behind the characters motivation and there is no sense of time when it is needed.

“Greta” trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAEoJkL_8zU

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Published:
03.01.19 / 2am
Category:
Films