Thoroughbreds (2018)

Review

92min

Genre:       Drama, Thriller

Director:    Cory Finley

Cast:         Olivia Cooke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Anton Yelchin…and more

Writer:      Cory Finley

-Synopsis-

Two well-to-do suburban Connecticut teens rekindle a childhood friendship and bond over their challenging but opposing personalities and outsider characters, leading to a sinister plan to solve their family issues which quickly gets out of hand in this feature debut from writer/director Cory Finley.

If there’s one thing successive generations can count on Hollywood and indie cinema to constantly re-visit it’s the teen angst film. From ‘Rebel Without a Cause’ to 80s comedies and 21st century dramas, from the perspective of the deprived to the privileged, and even the criminally manipulative like the young ladies in 1998’s ‘Wild Things’—you can always rely on the movies to confirm that “parents just don’t understand”.

Now for his bold feature debut, ‘Youngblood’ playwright Finley subverts expectations and walks the dark path forged by 1988’s sinister social satire ‘Heathers’, weaving together a subtle but morbid psychological drama with thriller undertones and a black comedic heart—presenting an overeducated and under motivated, clever but entitled and dangerously detached American teendom, and creating a bizarre tale of true friendship . . . amongst the ‘lifestyles of the rich and aimless’.

Olivia Cooke (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Ready Player One) stars as wealthy suburbanite Connecticut teen ‘Amanda’, a sharp and manipulative outsider with a behavioural disorder and psychopathic tendencies who is reunited with her former school friend ‘Lily’, a prim-and-proper wealthy high schooler with her own emotional issues and family problems, played by Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch, Split). When Lily’s problems with her stern stepfather ‘Mark’ (Paul Sparks) conspire with Amanda’s cold and calculating nature, two contrasting personalities bond over a sinister plan, roping-in local deadbeat ‘Tim’ (Anton Yelchin) for sinister deeds in swanky suburbia.

‘Thoroughbreds’ is a dark cookie to be sure, unapologetically morally ambiguous and featuring characters who despite any nuance are as amoral as they are self-centred, and easily led down a murky path. But there’s plenty of blunt, acid-tongued and occasionally awkward black humour here too—featuring sharply written dialogue befitting the two worldly, well-educated and manipulative teen protagonists . . . but ultimately not enough to make it an out-and-out comedy. It also sets a heavy tangible atmosphere to go with its visual style, driven largely by an idiosyncratic score from experimental New York cellist and composer Erik Friedlander, which is often jarring.

Yet despite the dark nature of the narrative and the sinister undertones of the story, ‘Thoroughbred’ is a far more subtle affair than you might expect . . . or want, reflecting its origins as stage play. Ultimately this is nuanced and atmospheric character drama without much mystery or a particularly intricate plot, and where much of the violence is implied, proving a morbid psychological study of two teens with no civic sense or respect for authority, and little responsibility—one who feels nothing and lacks focus, and one who feels too much but keeps it bottled inside . . . a deadly combination.

What ultimately makes the film a compelling and confounding watch throughout though is undoubtedly the performances of the small cast. Paul Sparks is solid as the unlikable but unfairly maligned ‘antagonist’ stepfather, while the late Anton Yelchin is the most sympathetic character as the unwitting enabler of the sinister plan, in what is tragically the last time UK audiences will see him in something new on the silver screen.

It’s the two leads of this equine-themed dark drama however who truly bring the story and the dialogue to life, proving young acting thoroughbreds themselves and making amoral characters with few redeeming qualities somehow relatable and sympathetic. After starting her career by shinning in both sci-fi and horror, Anya Taylor-Joy proves equally poised and magnetic in drama, while young Brit Olivia Cooke is just as impressive as she continues to establish herself as one of the most promising actors of this latest generation . . . and a potential new queen of accents.

‘Thoroughbred’ is not exactly the most polished indie you’ll see this year, and it may be a disappointment for some in terms of being a legitimate thriller, or in the way it teases a few twists, only to deliver a vague and slightly implausible conclusion. Then there are the character motivations and actions, which remain confounding throughout and are dealt with in a disturbingly matter-of-fact way—although one look at the real life Menéndez brothers murders will prove that it’s neither unrealistic nor unheard of.

Yet Finley is clearly not shooting for convention or familiarity here, making an assured directorial debut by subverting the sexual expectations and narrative tropes associated with teen angst films, while combining blunt dark humour and psychological character drama to weave a grim tale of 21st century upper-class malaise, and emotionally broken youngsters with deep frustrations and first-world gripes—brought to life by two hypnotic characters you won’t be able to keep your eyes off . . . and mercifully don’t have to live with.

The Bottom Line…

A tense and nuanced psychological character drama with a dark comedic heart, ‘Thoroughbreds’ defies convention and presents a confronting and gripping view of privileged but broken youth, thanks largely to the two central performances of its hugely promising stars—as writer/director Cory Finley applies his stage sensibilities to a bold indie feature debut.

Similar films you may like (Home Video)

Heathers (1988)

Tired of her popular and toxic high school clique, a good girl goes bad when she lock lips and joins forces with the sinister school rebel, as they begin to dispatch the cool kids and avenge their victims—but their ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ routine comes at a price in this subversive social satire, and black comedy 80s cult classic.

Directed by Michael Lehmann and starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty among others.

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