‘Don’t take the bait’
Greta is a 2018 American-Irish psychological thriller film directed by Neil Jordan (Byzantium; Interview with the Vampire; A Company of Wolves) from a screenplay co-written with Ray Wright.
The movie stars Chloë Grace Moretz, Maika Monroe, Isabelle Huppert and Zawe Ashton.
Plot:
A young woman befriends a lonely widow…
Reviews:
“The fact that Greta might be a send-up, but never clearly signals its intentions is going to lead to reactions that’ll be all over the place by critics and genre fans – presuming they show up to see it (pretty iffy). It’ll be too silly for anyone expecting to be scared, but if you like camp this is the film for you. There are a lot of really funny bits…” Arrow in the Head
“ …its unevenness isn’t going to stop Greta from being one of those movies that people talk about. It might even become a cult hit. Huppert lives up to it, deserves to be recognized as a cult villain icon. Isabelle Huppert is a queen, Greta is a witch, and this movie will stick with you for longer than you’d like.” Holes Watching Movies
“Huppert’s brooding Greta comes across like the similarly unbalanced Tallulah Bankhead in the 1965 cult classic Die! Die! My Darling […] What’s perhaps most surprising is the level of empathy Huppert commands during her early abandonment phase—even though pursuing her prey like some crazed demon, Frances’ lack of assertiveness in ending the relationship only compounds the increasingly hysterical situation.” Ion Cinema
“What will divide viewers is the film’s campy nature. The film has moments of arguably cheese dialog all while making some big leaps with its characters, especially Greta. However, the film never fell of the rails. The best part of the film, without a doubt, was Huppert’s incredible performance as Greta. She was a tour de force of crazy while bringing some humanity to the role.” Keithlovesmovies
“No stranger to the thriller/horror genre (having previously directed Byzantium, Interview with the Vampire), he seemed to bring just the right balance of twists, turns, humour and jump scares to keep this film on point. It never takes itself too seriously, and neither does Huppert. Follow suit, and enjoy.” Live for Films
“If you’re thinking that a crazy Huppert sounds like some awesomely GIF-able material, the movie does eventually scratch that itch, but it takes too long to become the B-movie you want from the beginning. Too much of this is flat, and I couldn’t shake the sensation that watching a movie about a mother-daughter bond written and directed by men hampered the final product.” RogerEbert.com
“Even as the plot spirals into madness, Jordan’s film displays an admirable economy and clarity, paying off numerous earlier details as Frances finds herself increasingly trapped by Greta […] Jordan’s deft control of pace and tone elevates Greta past mere gimmickry, resulting in a comic thriller whose goofy humor only compounds its mastery of suspense.” Slant
Cast and credits:
Chloë Grace Moretz … Frances – The Addams Family (2019); Carrie (2013); Dark Shadows
Maika Monroe … Erica
Isabelle Huppert … Greta
Zawe Ashton … Alexa
Stephen Rea
Parker Sawyers … Gary
Colm Feore
Angela Thompson … Subway Love Interest
Jane Perry … Animal Shelter Worker
Jeff Hiller … Henri
Jessica Preddy … Actress
Graeme Thomas King … Brian
Rosa Escoda … Lim’s Date
Navi Dhanoa … Cabbie
Romi Reilly … Woman in City Square
Hershel Blatt … Random Kid
Thaddeus Daniels … Officer Deroy
Elisa Berkeley … Madeleine
Arthur Lee … Lim
Nagisa Morimoto … Waitress
Darragh O’Connor … New York Pedestrian
Aneta Dina Keder … Frances’s Mom
Tariq Azees … Subway Passenger
Trailer:
