WatchSeeLookView At The LFF 2020 - Shirley

Not a horror film per se but definitely one with a horror adjacent theme to it…

Shirley
Dir. Josephine Decker /  Dur. 107 mins
Strand:- Dare

In A Nutshell:- Horror author Shirley Jackson and her husband Stanley’s somewhat twisted relationship is brought to the fore when newlyweds Fred and Rosie come to live with them.

The Good:- Although different in tone and style, in a way, this film put me in mind of last year’s Mr Rogers biopic A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood (starring Tom Hanks) in that, rather than being a traditional telling of the subject’s life, you learn about them through their interactions with another character - in this case, largely Odessa Young’s Rosie. Elisabeth Moss starts here as Shirley and, as always, she is a powerhouse on screen - the sort of presence that it’s impossible to take your eyes off. (That said, it would be nice for once to see her in a role where she’s not constantly in torment and on the breakdown -  not a criticism, she does it brilliantly but it would be good what else she can do for once.) It’s a fascinating piece, particularly given the oddly twisted dynamic and ongoing power struggle between Shirley and her husband Stanley (Michael Stuhlbarg), with each one seeming to have a hold over the other at various times (with Stanley being the far more controlling of the two overall). There are also nice stylistic touches used to illustrate Shirley’s creative processes and how she sees potential creative material - it’s a nice visual illustration of the writing process.

The Bad:- It’s only a minor point but Logan Lerman’s Fred feels like little more than a cypher; he doesn’t have as much to do in the story, granted, but he feels a little thinly drawn overall. (Also, not bad as such but worth noting - when you have characters named Fred and Rose, there’s an unfortunate association there for a UK audience...)

The Verdict:- A non-traditional biopic anchored by another storming performance from Elisabeth Moss and bolstered by good chemistry between her and both Odessa Young and Michael Stuhlbarg. Definitely one worth checking out.