Strange Darling (2023)
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2025-09 to 2026-08
The story
Set in rural Oregon, the film follows a man and a woman who engage in a one-night stand that quickly spirals into a dangerous game of survival. The narrative is structured in six chapters presented in a non-linear order, following the interactions between the two leads as they navigate a high-stakes, deadly situation. The story explores the tension between the two characters as they move through various locations, including a motel and a remote farmhouse, while the true nature of their identities and intentions remains obscured by the shifting timeline.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film follows 'the Lady' and 'the Demon' who meet at a motel in rural Oregon. They engage in a roleplay where the Lady pretends to be a victim of a murderer, but she is actually a serial killer known as 'the Electric Lady.' After she drugs the Demon, he discovers she is a killer and she discovers he is a police officer. A chase ensues, leading her to a farmhouse occupied by two doomsday preppers. She kills one and hides while the Demon searches for her. After a confrontation, she escapes and eventually kills the officer. The story is told in a non-linear, six-chapter structure. In the final moments, after a series of encounters with others, the Lady is shot and killed by another woman in a final confrontation.
- First release year
- 2023
- Runtime (minutes)
- 96
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- JT Mollner
- Writers
- JT Mollner · writer
- Cast and characters
- Willa Fitzgerald · the Lady; Kyle Gallner · the Demon; Madisen Beaty; Steven Michael Quezada; Ed Begley Jr.; Barbara Hershey
- Genres
- psychological crime thriller
- Themes
- identity; survival; violence
- Tone and mood
- stylized; tense
- Premise and plot tags
- serial killer; non-linear narrative; cat-and-mouse
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics, particularly for its cinematography and cast performances, though it was a box office failure.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 80 · scale: 100 · review count: 23
- Production trivia
- Shot on 35mm film; Marked the cinematographic debut of Giovanni Ribisi; The script was completed in six months
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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