Eileen is a hard and somewhat complicated film to talk about. For one talking about the plot is a nightmare, the film starts as a film about a young lady’s sexual suppression against a new colleague’s sexual freedom mixed in with a drunk alcoholic dad that leads the main character to want to blow her brains out and some lesbian love as the cherry on top. But by the time the credits roll the film that was truly experienced is completely different. While I appreciated the change of direction led to audible gasps in the cinema it also comes way too late in the film. While that would not usually be an issue the story that is present before the switch did not sink its claws into me like I wanted it to. This is a shame as the 2 leads of Thomasin McKenzie and Anne Hathaway are incredible and have chemistry together that is a chemical reaction of sexy 60’s cheque and developed and interesting characters of the 21st century to form this compound that is something truly special. The film’s opening production company logos had me enticed as period-specific logos are used and it locks you into the period that the film is set in. But then I come back to the initial issue. Is it worth watching 2/3’s of a film that while interesting never really becomes the thriller it is advertised as until the final act to me the answer is no. It does not matter how well acted, shot, and directed the film is. If I do not have a reason to care, is it worth your time? Yes, I did love the 3rd act, but a few days removed from the screening this current version of me does question if it was worth the journey.
Written By Robert Drever