On the subway young Frances finds an expensive looking designer handbag. Rather than just handing it in to the police she decides to track down the owner herself. She manages to return the bag to Greta.
Greta is an elderly, lonely, piano teacher who misses her daughter who is Frances’ age currently studying in France. Frances herself is lonely, having recently lost her mother to cancer. They develop a friendship but when Frances finds several bags the same as the one she returned in Greta's house she realises she is not the first young person Greta has met this way and she begins to distance herself from her. Which turns out to be a mistake, I say in the understatement of the year.
Greta is directed by Neil Jordan. It is great to see Jordan back making movies on the big screen. He has been busy with TV aside from the occasional film, and I would consider this a reasonable return to form. I think The Crying Game is a much better movie than people remember. It is primarily known for its rather problematic twist but it is also a fantastic thriller. He is really best working in that type of genre. He is blessed here with his cast, I wonder would he even have made the film without the exceptional Isabelle Huppert playing Greta. I do not think the film works without her. Chloe Grace Moretz plays Frances and does a fine job playing the naive fly in the spider's web.
Jordan knows what he has here, and that is a great vehicle for Huppert. She chews scenery and has tremendous fun. Despite her diminutive size she flips tables, brandishes weapons, and is incredibly physically intimidating. She is entirely deranged by the end, and the film is a great call back to the bunny boiler thrillers of the eighties and nineties. It is the type of performance that does not work with the majority of actors. I was thinking of Glenn Close this year during the oscars, everyone saying she should have won one by now. She should have won for Fatal Attraction. Most of the time these genre films do not get their due but they are more fun than the majority of grown up films released year on year. If you liked You on Netflix recently give this a go. It is great fun.
3/5
