Directed by Neil Jordan
Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. February 27, 2019 7:30PM
"Greta", the latest from writer/director, Neil Jordan, is a psychological thriller that offers nothing that you haven't seen before. But it does feature a deliriously unhinged and thoroughly entertaining performance by one of France's greatest film legends, Isabelle Huppert in a rare English-language appearance. While she is unable to completely salvage this silly and flimsy horror drama about an isolated older woman who obsessively latches on to a mournful younger girl, Huppert manages to make the film far more interesting with her intriguing (and very French) mix of chilly reserve and subdued passion.
Frances (Chloë Grace Moretz) has recently lost her mother to cancer while her relationship with her father (Colm Feore) has deteriorated due to him spending his time working instead of with her after his wife's passing. Looking for a fresh start, she has moved to New York City and shares an apartment with her salty and streetwise friend, Erica (Maika Monroe).
One day while riding the subway, Frances finds a handbag left on a seat. After taking it home, Erica advises her to keep the cash and forget about it. But the good-natured Frances decides to return the bag to the rightful owner. Using the ID inside of the purse, the young woman goes to the address in Brooklyn and knocks on the door. A grateful Greta (Huppert) answers, insisting on Frances joining her for coffee. After chatting for a bit, the two discover that they both have lost a close loved one with Greta being a recent widow. Open and vulnerable, Frances finds herself drawn to this kind stranger with a warm friendship developing.
However, during a dinner at Greta's house, Frances is disturbed to discover that the handbag she found on the subway was not an accident. She tries to withdraw from this scary situation but Greta is not having it. Excessive phone calls and texts, stalking and harassment is just a warm-up that an increasingly deranged Greta has in store for her friend-turned-victim.
As a filmmaker, the Irish writer/director has had some good days ("The Crying Game", "Interview With a Vampire"), some bad days ("We're No Angels", "In Dreams") and many so-so ("Breakfast On Pluto", "The Brave One"). And with "Greta", Mr. Jordan has unfortunately landed once again in the not-so-good category. The screenplay, co-written by the director with Ray Wright, features routine dialogue and seemed to have eagerly tossed aside logic and common sense in order to propel this lame story forward.
Beginning her career as a child actor, Ms Moretz has grown in to a fine actress and does strong committed work here while Ms. Monroe (who you might remember from the horror flick, "It Follows") adds some much needed humor as the suspicious roommate. But let me stress again that the only reason why you should even consider sitting through this mess of a film is to witness Ms Huppert in glorious action. She has done this type of manic role several times before in her native French, most notably in "The Piano Teacher" by the provocative Austrian director Michael Haneke (imagine what this filmmaker behind the disturbing "Funny Games" could have done with this material) and while the actress gives another wild, go-for-broke performance, it is completely wasted on this half-baked thriller.
"Greta" is the kind of movie you know you're in trouble when the only real reaction you hear from the audience is during the truly terrifying moment when our title character spits chewing gum in to her stalking victim's hair.
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