Darling (2015)

The first half starts slow but then you get the bonus of seeing lovely Lauren Carter slowly wander around this atmospheric mansion exploring while wearing a very sexy lace slip. And it is a very pretty slip & she wears it well! There is no sex--even though in more than half of all movies where the actress wears a slip, she is getting ready to have sex or has just had it. It saves doing a nude scene. Lauren is a real doll in that she is only 5'1" which makes her appear innocent & vulnerable...notice I say "appear!" There is no clear answer as to whether this is a memory/dream or is actually happening NOW.

Its nice to see a film maker do something different that works - and works well.This film isn't the usual offering of horror/thriller fare. The whole story is not handed to you on a plate, and you have to fill in some of the blanks yourself. Intentional or not, it seems to work. I think this is a film the viewer will either love or hate.No doubt this was made with the psychological thrillers of the 50s and 60s in mind, with a bit of film noir thrown in to complete the mix.Lauren Ashley Carter plays the main character in the film. In fact, apart from a few short appearances by other characters, she is the film. And what a character she is. Sweet and adorable yet... well its best to watch the film.There were a couple of things that could have done with a bit more explanation, but no film is perfect.I for one will certainly be on the lookout for Lauren Ashley Carter in the future.

Wow! I really admire how they put together this film. The complementary interaction between the sound effects - those harsh, dissonant sounds - and the fuzzy, almost dulled cinematography (interspersed, of course, with those terrifyingly epileptic flashes) really makes for the perfect horror atmosphere. The editing is brilliant. I have a bit of an issue with the pacing of the film overall. The first thirty minutes were kind of dull, despite the jumpscares, and I almost decided to skip over it entirely. The acting, however, is fantastic. I didn't recognize Lauren from Jug Face and Pod, so when I saw other people pointing it out, I found that made sense. Her skill is very obvious in these movies (even in Pod, which was not great to be honest). Looking forward to any other projects she'll be in. The plot is ambiguous, as some people have mentioned, but I think it worked for this film. Darling herself is so mixed up in her mind that nothing comes across as the truth to the audience. Not being able to figure out any concrete answers is a part of how uneasy this film can make you, in my opinion. (And adding to that mysterious eeriness is the scene in the middle of the credits! Really left me wanting more.) Ultimately, I found this to be a very well made film, a clear labor of love in the name of horror, dependent on the actors' performances and the conceptualization. Something like this is very divisive: you either love it, or you hate it. And I really loved it.

The film is essentially a hodge-podge of classic 60s horror references and imagery mixed with modern-style jumps and scares to keep you on your toes. Does it always work though? No, it doesn't. While most of the jumps are well-coordinated and add an essential level of terror to the atmosphere, there were others that felt impatient and cheap, deflating the room of suspense and tension. I still give this 8 stars because the cinematography is incredible and Lauren Ashley Carter is a true star. The screenplay is also quite good, with the story broken up into several chapters for the audience to easily understand her descent into madness. Overall, this horror film made me and my friends scream as well as kept us up at night, which is the goal of the film.