A lot of independent films are character driven films. This is for a lot of different reasons, such as the budget is too small for big locations and with no money for fancy visual effects, which is a good thing because that means there is more room for human drama, which is far more interesting than CGI explosions. As a result independent cinema is like a meadow blossoming with rich and colourful stories. Films such as Eileen makes me think of this analogy. Usually big name actors get attracted to these projects due to ego, or to make personal stories. With Eileen, the story is already published in the form of a novel, so when adapting it there was already a gripping tale waiting to be told and luckily the casting agents found two very powerful performers for the main roles in the film.
Eileen, the titular character, is played by Thomasin McKenzie, who has had a limited but impressive range of roles already in her young career which stretches from the likes of Leave No Trace, Jojo Rabbit and more recently Last Night in Soho. Thomasin McKenzie is great at playing different types of characters, which she does again with Eileen. Eileen is a mysterious introvert, she is rather shy and stuck looking after her dad at home in the night while working in a prison during the day, taking care of the prisons daily needs. Eileen meets Rebecca, the new prison Psychologist, played with finesse from Anne Hathaway who absolutely digs her heels into the role of this woman who has a big sense of mystery. Hathaway and McKenzie have a great time playing off of each other throughout the film.
There’s a few story threads lurking in the film, with no clear indication of where the film is heading. Shea Wigham plays the alcoholic ex-cop father to Eileen, who is very unstable and is forced to give up his firearm to the police. Then there’s the possible romantic undertones between Eileen and Rebecca, which the film plays with gleefully in the first half of the film. Then there’s one of the inmates who is a young man who killed his father, and Eileen seems to have a fascination with him. The story dances around these characters so eloquently, that the film paces into each strand of the story so quickly and effortlessly that makes the film very tense. The grainy images and close up camera work also emphasises the drama a lot within the film.
Filmmaker William Oldroyd has crafted a very dramatic thriller, and with only one other film made under his name with Lady Macbeth, so to make this film is quite an impressive feat. Oldroyd understands the source material and he plays the film in such a tender use of darkness with limited use of lighting that makes this world seem very natural. The film is set in the 1960s in Massachusetts, and the style and tone of the film reflects this time and captures this atmosphere very well. With themes of child abuse, sexual desires and suicide, it is not a film recommended for everyone. For everyone who is willing to invest time with the characters and story though will end up enjoying it. It may feel a little disjointed in the first half, but the latter half changes pace and becomes all the more gripping, with a very satisfying ending.
★★★★☆
4/5
Final Verdict:
Eileen is a fierce character study of a young woman who is stuck in her life, both personally and professionally. Thomasin McKenzie imbues the character of Eileen with guts and with a personality that makes her completely unpredictable, a bit like the story. Filmmaker William Oldroyd knows how to keep the film tense and fast paced. Anne Hathaway is both charismatic and sinister as the mysterious new prison Psychologist. There are a few red herrings and plot points which divert the story a little, but overall you will feel like you witnessed something truly special with everyone giving such a powerful performance in their roles.
Thanks for reading today’s blog!
Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions
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