Alfred Hitchcock’s influence is evident in Netflix’s dark teen comedy take revengeInspired by his 1951 thriller stranger on the trainwhich in turn was inspired by the novel Talented Mr. Ripley Author Patricia Highsmith. But instead of focusing on her twisted murder plot, take revenge It revolves around a plot to disenfranchise two members of It Crowd.
The film fits nicely into the canon of dark comedies about the ruthlessness of teenage girls. heathers Also mean girlsDirected by Jennifer Catin Robinson (co-writer) Thor: Love and Thunder,Author Sweet/Vicious) weaves in a sharp 2022 update to the genre. increase.
[Ed. note: This review contains setup spoilers for Do Revenge.]
take revenge Drea (Camila Mendes) who was formerly the most popular girl in school until her reputation was ruined when her ex-boyfriend Max not only released her sex tape, but she punched him in the face afterwards. continue. Drea wins a scholarship to attend a private prep school in Miami, and her ex-girlfriend (Austin Abrams) comes from a wealthy family. Since he has more social capital than her, a video from his cell phone was leaked claiming that she attacked him for no reason, leaving friends and the rest of school to harass her. Drea just wanted to grit her teeth and get through fourth grade, but things change when she meets transfer student Eleanor (Maya Hawke).
A few years ago, Eleanor became a social pariah when her unrequited love Carissa (Ava Capri) spread rumors that he held her down and forced him to kiss her. After she lands in the same school as Carissa, Eleanor is afraid to see her again. After a touching moment in the bathroom, Eleanor and Drea bond with those who have wronged them and hatch a plan for revenge, but with an important caveat. Drea defeats Carissa and Eleanor infiltrates Max’s group of friends for her ultimate revenge.
Like other films in the mean schoolgirl subgenre, take revenge It focuses on complex social conspiracies and vicious popular factions. But it’s not derivative or cliche. Instead, this is the natural evolution of his 2022 film of this type. Some parts of high school are constant, but youth culture evolves so quickly that teen movies, especially older ones, are adapted and respected. Materials — the risk of feeling obsolete. take revenge Dodge the curse because of the way Robinson and co-writer Celeste Ballard cleverly update certain plot points.
For one thing, Max is the villain of 2022. A good looking straight rich white boy who uses high performance public arousal to hide his true motives. And as a privileged young man, Max is basically invincible. But that means Drea and Eleanor will have to come up with an even more fun and complicated plan to defeat him.
But as their behavior escalates, their obsession grows. Hawk and Mendes do a great job of never giving the audience a clear person to root for. At first, their friendship seems inspired as they unite against those who have wronged them. And it turns into something completely different.
It’s all done in soft pastels worthy of an influencer.Some of the reasons I love movies heathers When mean girls has become so iconic thanks to a strong visual palette that embraces the idealized teenage conventions of each era. take revenge continues the trend, updating the film’s look for those savvy with its perfectly-coordinated aesthetic that fits neatly under social media hashtags (like ‘Instagram witches’ and #glamgirl). I’m here.
When the film focuses on revenge plots, or on Eleanor and Drea’s increasingly toxic relationship, it’s sharp and tight. starts to become Drea gets involved with Carissa’s friend and rebellious artist Russ (Rish Shah), while Eleanor flirts with Max’s sister Gabi (Talia Ryder). Some of these scenes are sweet, but neither of these relationships do much to make Eleanor or Drea more sympathetic or meaner. They seem to exist out of a sense that teen movies need an obligatory romance and nothing more. .
But finally, the movie returns to Eleanor and Drea. A series of twists and turns brings them back together, playing each other in delightfully unsettling ways. At some point, the film appears to turn into a moral statement about the dangers of revenge, especially when Drea’s college plans are jeopardized. evading and proving to understand what the audience of this kind of film really wants: a villainous teenage girl navigating the complex relationships they form while they The vicarious thrill of watching you go to great lengths to get what you want. Without overindulging, Eleanor and Drea get both what they want and what they deserve. Ignore the cheesy epilogue where they woo future love interests.
take revenge Debuts on Netflix on September 16th.