LogFAQs > #950299493

I gotta vote for Five Easy Pieces

Thoroughbreds

I don't think this quite lived up to the quality of Heathers/American Psycho but I can see why that was the comparison point. The leads forged an interesting chemistry as they batted a ball of sociopathic tendencies between them, seemingly transferring Amanda's energy to Lily as the movie progresses (perhaps Lily saw herself in Amanda's reflection?). Apparently Cooke and Taylor-Joy can execute Command Cry, that scene of them having a weep-off on the couch was impressive and kind of creepy. And hilariously punctuated by evil stepdad's confused interruption. The meta aspect of them watching a movie here makes me wonder if there's some empathy test going on but it's played like it's black comedy so who knows.

At first I was inclined to take a Fight Club reading, like Amanda is an alter-ego enabling Lily and isn't really there. That doesn't totally hold up since there's a few times when characters do acknowledge both of them at once. But I do think Lily/Amanda fit into an archetypal ego/id pairing that go down a dark path in a cautionary tale of self-actualization.

Yelchin was good but his sub-plot ended up being filler, the logic of which had me scratching my head. Their plan for not getting caught is hiring a two-bit drug dealer to crash through a window to announce his arrival to kill the guy? And on top of it they decide to blackmail the drug dealer? I mean it's not like I know how I would get away with murder but that just seems like it would go wrong a dozen ways. Like, the best outcome I would expect is p90x stepdad ninja-strikes your boy from the shadows and then goes on a 5-mile run.

I would have liked more scenes with Mark (the mark for the kill is what they were going for I'd guess). I got a kick out of his whole aggressively fit, Ben Stiller in Heavyweights kind of antagonism. He was just a little too periphery for killing him to make sense, but I guess it's not supposed to be justified. I suppose the 'no smoking' scene kind of suggests he's right about some things, even. I did like that he had an off-screen presence with the rowing machine, it's actually relatable that the constant pulsing would drive a lot of resentment.

Overall I thought there would be more to do with horses. 6/10
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You bow to no one, azuarc