A twisted one-night stand spirals into a serial killer’s vicious murder spree. A film by JT Mollner, starring Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Ed Begley Jr., and Barbara Hershey.

Between 2018 and 2020, the most prolific and unique American serial killer of the 21st century went on a calculated, multi-state spree that began in Denver, Colorado, continued through Grand Lake, and expanded across Wyoming and central Idaho before culminating in the dense forest of Hood River County, Oregon.

CHAPTER 3

“CAN YOU HELP ME? PLEASE?”

The film opens with a car chase scene featuring The Lady (Willa Fitzgerald), who is driving a red Pinto and being relentlessly pursued by The Demon (Kyle Gallner) in a black Ford F-150 Raptor. Moments later, The Demon stops his vehicle, climbs onto the truck’s bed, and fires a shot at the red Pinto.

The bullet strikes and shatters the Pinto’s rear window, causing The Lady to panic and lose control of her car, which flips over onto the side of the road. The Demon spots her crawling out of the car, disoriented, and accelerates his truck toward her, attempting to run her over. However, The Lady quickly steps aside off the road and runs into the forest.

The Lady flees through the forest and stumbles upon a farmhouse. She slams the door repeatedly, hoping the people inside can save her from The Demon. An elderly couple, Frederick (Ed Begley Jr.) and Genevieve (Barbara Hershey), open their door and take her in as she collapses to the floor from her injuries and exhaustion.

CHAPTER 5

“HERE, KITTY, KITTY…”

The Lady hides herself in a closed container, like a chest or a box. Meanwhile, the camera cuts to The Demon, who is already inside the farmhouse, methodically searching for her. He begins shooting at several chests around the house, assuming she is hiding inside one of them, only to discover that he is mistaken — none of the chests contain The Lady.

The camera pans around the interior of the house as The Demon walks up and down the stairs, searching for where The Lady might be hiding. He moves through the kitchen, revealing Frederick lying face down on the floor in a pool of his own blood. We don’t know exactly what happened to Frederick, but it’s presumed that The Demon killed him while attempting to break into the house, although Genevieve is nowhere to be seen.

The Demon steps out for a quick smoke, then heads back to the kitchen. Something nags at him – he remembers noticing the freezer was unplugged earlier. Without hesitation, he levels his shotgun at the appliance and fires. The blast shatters the silence, and The Lady’s screams fill the air. He quickly opens the freezer door and punches The Lady, and the screen suddenly goes black.

CHAPTER 1

“MISTER SNUFFLE”

At night, The Demon drives The Lady to the Blue Angel Hotel, parking his truck in front of the hotel’s glowing blue neon sign. It appears they first met at a bar, and she decides to have a one-night stand.

However, before they enter the hotel, she expresses her concerns about her safety, going into a room with someone she just met without any witnesses if something were to happen to her. She then asks him if he is a serial killer, to which he firmly denies.

Later, the two engage in a sadomasochistic roleplay in which she convinces him to act as a murderer while she plays the part of his victim. She told him earlier that she wanted something unexpected and insisted that he must make her feel like it’s real, even if she appears frightened or cries. She emphasized that he must continue roleplaying unless she says the safe word.

Written and directed by American filmmaker J.T. Mollner, Strange Darling is an exceptional suspense thriller centered around two characters: The Demon, portrayed by Kyle Gallner, and The Lady, portrayed by Willa Fitzgerald.

The less you know about the story, the more you will enjoy the film. The narrative is divided into six chapters plus an epilogue and is arranged in a non-chronological order.

Personally, I’m not a fan of this style of storytelling, as it is often used by filmmakers as a gimmick or a tool to disorient the audience. However, in Strange Darling, this technique works brilliantly; it serves as a crucial mechanism of the film, creating an experience filled with unexpected twists and turns that would not be achievable through a traditional linear narrative.

Kyle Gallner and Willa Fitzgerald deliver outstanding performances, particularly Fitzgerald, who showcases a wide range of emotions and can switch between them instantly, like a light switch.

I also loved the opening, where the film tells us that it is a dramatization of the true story of the most prolific American serial killer, without revealing the name of this particular individual. As the story unfolded, I found myself captivated and excited, trying to guess who the serial killer was and wondering if this character truly existed, if they were based on a real serial killer as the film suggested, or if they were entirely fictional. There were some genuinely suspenseful scenes where I was unsure whether the characters were still roleplaying or if everything was as it seemed.

STRANGE DARLING is arguably one of the best suspense thrillers of the year, despite having some scenes that feel a bit dragging, even though the film is only 90 minutes long. I wonder if it could be edited to be 5 or 10 minutes shorter.

STRANGE DARLING premiered at the Fantastic Fest on 22 September 2023. The film was theatrically released in Australia on 22 August 2024. It received a limited theatrical release in the United States on 23 August, Magenta Light Studios.