SHIRLEY (2020)

Directed By: Josephine Decker  Written By: Sarah Gubbins & Susan Scarf Merrell Cinematography: Sturla Brandth Grovlen  Editor: David Berker

Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Logan Lerman, Michael Stahlbarg, Odessa Young, Robert Wuhl, Victoria Pedretti 

As renowned for her morose nature as she is for her horror fiction, writer Shirley Jackson is crafting yet another masterpiece when the arrival of newlyweds Fred and Rose disrupt her creative process and marriage to literary critic - and philandering professor - Stanley Hyman. As Stanley spars to maintain academic dominance over his would-be protégé Fred, Rose attempts to dampen her own ambitions and adjust to married life while living under the roof of their fiery intellectual hosts with quicksilver loyalties and myriad neuroses. When the motives of Shirley's literary muse prove elusive, Rose's curiosity and trusting nature make her tender prey for a brilliant author whose only allegiance is to her work.

The leads can be cruel and vicious. But you still care about them.

As usual this is Elisabeth moss’s movie to rule over and blows most others off screen. So they are there to support and supply yet never makes as strong an impression on this bad journey as her. 

This is a film that is hard to describe as once you begin to watch you expect one thing and are bing lead to believe it will be and then slowly it gets you to care and invest and soo. You find yourself enchanted and before you know it you don’t knows here it has taken you but you feel uneasy yet mystified. Sort of like the Wiccan practices that are hinted at throughout but while the film Does seem to set a spell it is in the best way that enlivens the film.

It’s a drama is just turns into a thriller itself. In the beginning the film has disorienting camera angles that keeps us in the

Audience off center. As well as presenting is with a time period that might be foreign to us and a sudden sex scene that seems risqué for the period or at least surprising, it feels upfront and let’s us know to expect things like this. Though as these characters are introduced to these new surroundings and are so full of life. 

The camera is not handheld but always seems to be moving off center and going off on it’s own. Stylish one minute and abstract the next.

The film is haunting as everyone seems in on a secret or conspiring. Even everyday normal actions are scary or haunting with at atmosphere that feels strange or off. 

The film quickly becomes a disorienting mystery. As Shirley Jackson researches a true crime story to base her novel, but then adds elements of horror in the film. As it seems to add jump scares yet nothing out of the ordinary. As the film seems to cos tangly shift subtlety.

It keeps up this strange aura throughout. Including touchy feels flirtations that shirley’s husband keeps trying to have that is more like harassment. 

The men who seem to consider themselves in charge of the women in their lives and their wives. Before small supporting characters as the women grow closer, more in control and connection. In a certain madness that overtakes them. The junior professor comes off as a monster the most as he keeps trying to seem like he is this nice and caring guy but behind the scenes he is doubting, cheating and leaving her alone so that she feels alienated. 

The other wife’s husband looks up to Shirley’s husband as a mentor who can’t stand him really though allows himself to be a bad influence and follow in his philandering footsteps and arrogance.

The film ends up as a version of WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLFF as it seems like the older couple is playing games and having fun with the younger couple while having a contempt for one another.

The film has plenty of sexual innuendo and behavior between the two. That seems innocent then Comes across as more powerful and manipulative.  Soon the two females find themselves In A strange cult to themselves with no name but a kind of relationship of beliefs.

She seems to be going crazy as Shirley towards the end as they seem to switch places mentally. Only Shirley is used to it and is more depressed. Where as the young wife seems to be losing her mind as to what is real and what isn’t. This is a first for her and it seems to make Shirley feel guilty as this reveal also helps explain a certain part of the beginning 

The film is an unraveling of who you don’t expect and ends up being haunted by her influence. As Shirley is unconventional and comes across as a witch which she calls herself.

You can see why Shirley is the way she is. She loves her life the way that she wants but Her husband loves off of her success and notoriety, but treats her as crazy and fragile. 

His constant cheating doesn’t help as it feeds his ego to make up that he isn’t a celebrated writer like his wife. 

Broken but knows herself and her strengths though struggles to get to the height of her talents. She feels guilty after the damage has been done. Though Her husband nothing seems to shock him. He is still there. 

It’s like a Bjork song by the end you don’t know what to make of it but you like it. It’s affected you and is like nothing else and it’s got rhythm Overall

In the end though in reviewing the book she has written it seems like they are more talking about the movie and drama we have just sat throughout what went down and what it took to get there. 

Grade: A