Since 1992
Print and digital marketing
Pearl
(A24)
By Lucas Allen
After last March’s “X,” writer/director Ti West returns to the horror farm with the prequel “Pearl.” In fact, both movies were shot concurrently as a way for fans of the previous film to satisfy their curiosity about that movie’s main villain. If you thought “X”was something else, you haven’t seen anything yet.
Taking place in 1918, we see a younger Pearl (Mia Goth) in her old family farmhouse, where she grew up. During that time, she’s still waiting for her husband Howard (Alistair Sewel) to return from World War I as the country struggles with the flu pandemic. As the story begins, she’s looking after the farm as well as caring for her ailing father (Matthew Sunderland), but she also dreams of going out on her own and becoming famous like in the movies she loves to watch. However, her German mother Ruth (Tandi Wright) won’t allow her daughter to follow her dreams.
Then Pearl becomes entangled in a forbidden affair with her local theater’s projectionist (David Corenswet), who introduces her to European stag films. Afterwards, her sister-in-law Mitzy (Emma Jenkins-Purro) tells her of a dance audition for the local church that could be her ticket to the big time. But when her mother confronts her about her rebellious nature, it sets off a terrifying chain of events that puts the young woman down that monstrous path she’ll end up in.
While “X” was shot like a 1970s grindhouse flick about the growing porno industry of that decade, it’s more like a Golden Age Technicolor masterpiece like “Gone with the Wind,” but with that same “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” atmosphere of the previous film. It’s the kind of cinematography you can’t help but stare at for a long duration of time, yet West makes it clever enough that when you get to the horror parts, you still can’t look away either. The film also utilizes the same locations from “X” from a different perspective that any fan can instantly recognize. Naturally, if you loved the previous film, then you’ll likely enjoy this just as much especially with the difference in style.
The movie is simply an oddball mix of horror and drama not just because of Texas Chainsaw with a greater color palette, but also mixes elements of “Psycho” and “Carrie” if those movies were produced by Jack L. Warner or David O’ Selznick. On one hand, we see the main character’s fantasies act out like any big movie musical of the day. Then on the other hand, the reality of her farm life becomes this down south version of “Mommie Dearest.” It’s all pieced together by West’s “on-the-nose” commentary on American life during a threatening plague, when most of us go to the movies to escape something that timely. One scene that best exemplifies this oddball mix is a sequence involving Pearl and a scarecrow that’s like watching a version of “The Wizard of Oz” that we’d never thought we see.
But the real winner in this movie is Goth, who through both films demonstrates what she can do in a wide range of performances. Whether as young Maxine in “X,” or as the young and old age “Pearl,” she becomes a revelation for a new generation of horror fans. Here, we see her be happy, sad, and raging angry in ways unusual and amazing at the same time. The highlight is an unbelievable nine-minute monologue scene near the end of the film, where her performance truly shines during one unbroken and emotional take. The actress also handles herself well in the gory kill scenes.
Both “X” and “Pearl” may not be for everybody’s tastes though they each have their own strengths and weaknesses. With this film, it walks a fine line between beautiful work and disturbingly dark. It mostly works, but it’s also an experimental tour-de-force for both director Ti West and actress Mia Goth to create a horror universe within the dark confines of Americana. But they’re not done yet as they already announced the trilogy closer, the 80s-set “MaXXXine” for next year.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: R (for some strong violence, gore, strong sexual content, and graphic nudity)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3.25 Stars (Out of Four)
