Aaron's Thoughts
Somehow it’s even worse than I remember! Which is a major bummer when it looks as good as it does. Still some of my favorite production design of the decade combined with the kinds of striking images we’ve come to expect from Wilde but boy does this fall off a cliff 30 minutes in. I think I checked the time three different times and said THERE IS HOW MUCH TIME LEFT?!
To be nice for a second - Pugh is so much better in this than I remember. I remember her being great, but she is truly excellent despite playing opposite a sack of potatoes. She plays scared and confused so well that it’s pretty clear that none of the blame for this falls on her shoulders.
It’s by no means one of the worst films of the decade, but it’s up there for most disappointing for me. This is the kind of film that should be remade in 20 years because I guarantee you could make it 10 more times and it’s probably good in most of those. Maybe Wilde bit off a tad more than she can chew, but I have a feeling she will get another shot to redeem herself in her self described favorite genre.
