Greta, 2019.
Directed by Neil Jordan
Starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Isabelle Huppert, Maika Monroe, Colm Feore, and Stephen Rea.
SYNOPSIS:
After finding a handbag left in a Subway car, a young woman befriends the bag’s older owner, but finds it increasingly difficult to end the relationship when Greta gets a little too close for comfort.
Tiptoeing gleefully to the sound of Chopin, Greta is not your average, possibly French, lady. Played by Isabelle Huppert, Greta lives alone in a rough area of New York, a world away from the noise and pace of the lifestyle of mid-20s Frances (Chloe Grace Moretz). After finding and returning Greta’s lost handbag, the two begin an unlikely friendship that edges uncomfortably towards surrogate motherhood. But when the reality of Greta’s psyche becomes more unsettlingly clear to Frances, it might be too late to separate from an increasingly strange relationship.
The niceties in the first act of Ray Wright’s script feel a little too much like set-up to be relished. Still desperately struggling with the recent death of her own mother, Frances is easily drawn in to Greta’s influence, though their interactions never push past static awkwardness, to genuine warmth. Moretz is excellent as wide-eyed out of town girl, resistant to the unfeeling customs of her city, and thankfully, the second act comes quickly, exposing Greta in a lie that forces the two to part.
Taking a rather large leaf out of Fatal Attraction’s book, Greta proves hard to shake for Frances, as she graduates from quickly from unrelenting texting to outright stalking. Here, Huppert’s menacing deadpan chills whilst the camera cuts quickly from one creepy image to the next. Director Neil Jordan has so much fun playing with obvious clichés, some of which are downright hilarious. But still, there is a sense of unease awarded by Greta’s perpetual presence, and a gripping uncertainty over what ridiculous thing might happen next.
By the third act, Wright has written his characters into a corner, with nowhere to go but up. As the stakes climb, believability takes a nosedive. True horror fans may cringe but it’s all so entertaining that the sacrifice is worth it. Moretz’s terror is palpable as the scared every-woman, brilliantly matched by Huppert’s utter lack of restraint. Supporting the two leads, Maika Monroe excels as worldly wise best friend Erica, Frances’ voice of reasoned perspective.
Greta is strangely reminiscent of 1997’s Starship Troopers – a film whose spoof masterpiece status is still very much in dispute. It is so difficult to know just how self aware the film is. Every cliché may well be a knowing nod to a previous entry into the genre. But equally, Jordan might mean those moments sincerely, in which case we are laughing at him, not with him. If the former is believed, how many of the film’s failings can be put down to prior creative design? Is Huppert’s unnaturally wooden performance near the beginning a character choice, or is she simply struggling against poorly crafted dialogue? Whatever the truth, after 90 minutes, Jordan and Wright settle for predictability – though it still doesn’t quite feel disappointing for some reason. Horror masterpiece this is not, but when appreciated for the tongue that is firmly planted in Greta’s cheek, few films are so enjoyable.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Dan Sareen
