The Dead Girl

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Horrorphile - January 2008

The Dead Girl

January 16th 2008 23:23

When The Dead Girl (2006) was first released theatrically my fiancé was wanting a movie recommendation to take a friend to. I suggested The Dead Girl on the basis of the cast, the title, and the basic premise which I’d read somewhere. I hadn’t seen the movie, but something told me it would be very worthwhile. My partner and her friend thought it was excellent, a job well done, I thought to myself.

I finally ended up seeing it on DVD a week or so ago (been kicking myself I never saw it on the big screen) and have decided it has to be one of the best and most powerful movies of recent years, certainly one of the finest acting ensembles in a long time. The longer the movie reverberates in my mind, the stronger and more powerful the film becomes; like No Country for Old Men (2007), it is a stunning example of brilliant filmmaking; screenplay, acting, directing, editing, cinematography, soundtrack, etc.

Toni Collette as Arden

There’s a conventional plot, but rather a series of short films, vignettes if you will, which piece together, although they don’t all fit snugly. There are five portraits of five women all affected in varying degrees by one of them: a dead girl. It’s a tragedy, no doubt about it, but can also be described as a delicate and subtle horror movie disguised as an art-house drama and cloaked as a mystery thriller.

Rose Byrne as Leah

It is writer and director Karen Moncrieff’s second feature, and it’s exceptional sophomore effort. If only there were more movies of such high calibre coming out of the Hollywood system, the realm of American dramatic cinema would be all the richer for it. And I mean “richer” in terms of inspiration, not revenue.

Mary Beth Hurt as Ruth

Set in Los Angeles The Dead Girl traces the immediate events following the discovery of a young dead woman (Brittany Murphy) by a troubled wallflower named Arden (Toni Collette). She steals the corpse’s necklace: the word “taken”, her invalid mother (Piper Laurie) abuses her for calling the police and in passive-aggressive retaliation Arden abandons her mother and ends up in a strange submissive sexual tryst with a stranger (Giovanni Ribisi).

Marsha Gay Harden as Melora

Leah (Rose Byrne) is a forensics student still trying to cope with the disappearance of her sister fifteen years earlier. She is on medication and finds it difficult dealing with her mother (Mary Steenburgen), also obsessed with finding her daughter. Leah believes the dead girl's corpse she is inspecting is her long-lost sister. Her work colleague (James Franco) manages to break through her cold exterior and they begin a romance.

Ruth (Mary Beth Hurt) is in a thankless marriage to a man (Nick Searcy) who no longer loves her. Instead he spends his time driving around, sometimes not coming home till the following night. Something’s not right there and Ruth discovers a horrible truth, despite her husband’s denial, linking him to the disappearance of several young women.

The Dead Girl Brittany Murphy and Nick Searcy

Brittany Murphy as Krista

Melora (Marsha Gay Harden) is the mother of Krista, the dead girl. She is desperate to find out what has happened to her baby, whom left home several years earlier. She learns that her daughter has become a drug addict, become involved in prostitution, and has her own young daughter. In trying to locate her she meets Krista’s roommate (Kerry Washington), another drug-addled hooker.

The final chapter introduces us to Krista herself, and we witness her final hours.

Giovanni Ribisi as Arden's seducter

Mary Steenburgen as Leah's mother

The Dead Girl is almost Shakespearean in the way it unfolds, and the superb handling of the moral and immoral themes. With the movie’s dark, brooding and expressionistic cinematography the storytelling etches itself vividly in the audience’s mind. I’m not a huge fan of either Toni Collette or Rose Byrne and their style of acting, but they work wonders here.

Kerry Washington as Krista's roommate

Josh Brolin as Krista's boyfriend

Each of the lead characters in each chapter are victims in one way or another whom reach a kind of closure, achieve liberation or experience a revelation. Each of them is supported by another character that aids or hinders them, either directly or indirectly, or is a catalyst in some way. And they are all affected in a profound way by the dead girl.

It’s hard to pick a stand-out performance, but I have to say Mary Beth Hurt, Marsha Gay Harden and Brittany Murphy deliver Oscar-worthy performances (not that the Academy should determine the quality of an actor’s work). Also of note is Piper Laurie’s small, blistering part. The film was snubbed by both the Golden Globes and the Oscars. Why? We’ll never know, however it did win several independent festival and critics’ awards along the way.

Krista desperate to get to her daughter's birthday, if only ...

The Dead Girl is a modern classic, and no doubt regarded already as a cult favourite for many viewers. It’s definitely one of mine and my fiancé’s.

Here's the conventional Hollywood trailer:

And here's a Euro-styled trailer:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

9 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Cibbuano

January 17th 2008 02:15

Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak

such high praise! How many times have you seen it?

Comment by Bryn

January 17th 2008 03:18

Horrorphile

Just the once. But I knew within a few minutes or so that it would be a great film.

Comment by Louie

January 17th 2008 03:36

Climate Red
randomthoughts
Phil's Wellness Tips

wow..it seems like a good film, ill check it out for sure......this is the first time I have ever heard of it, I missed it completely

cheers

Louie

Comment by Damo

January 17th 2008 07:24

Bryn

I have not even heard of this film.
Yet I do like character driven stories.

Aside from Horror I do love an excellent suspense.

Comment by Bryn

January 17th 2008 23:43

Horrorphile

Damo, this isn't really a suspenseful film as such, although it does possess a certain level of tension, it's the way the movie is constructed, the way it unfolds which is so effective and dramatically powerful. The last scene and images are haunting. I'm sure you'll find the movie top notch.

Comment by D. Armenta

January 18th 2008 23:48

The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.

I'm sold, just by your description..next Netflix order!

(Besides, I love Piper Laurie..she is just so awesome, even in a bit part)!

Comment by Bryn

January 19th 2008 00:47

Horrorphile

Armenta, you'll definitely like this, and Piper commands the screen (all ten minutes of her time on it)

Comment by JohnDoe

April 23rd 2008 11:56

Film & TV on DVD

I finally have a copy of this in my collection lined up for viewing...expect a review upon screening if it comes anywhere near your praise..(Which I'm sure it will)

Comment by Bryn

April 23rd 2008 23:05

Horrorphile

Good work, I'd like to own my own copy too

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