Eileen (2023) Movie Review
Eileen is based on a novel of the same name by author Ottessa Moshfegh. Those who have read the book likely won’t have the same reaction as those of us who went into this one with no prior knowledge.
Eileen (Thomasin McKenzie) lives with her alcoholic father who is an ex-cop. She works at the prison and saves up every penny she earns in a tin that she hides in her closet. During her free time she goes to a secluded spot where couples park to make out and have sex. Her life is mainly that of a passenger, watching others do things that she wishes she could partake in too. That all goes by the wayside when the incredibly chic and mesmerizing Rebecca (Anne Hathaway) shows up. She’s a doctor and seems a little too glamorous for the run-down prison in New York.
Eileen is immediately interested in Rebecca and what starts as a curiosity slowly develops into something a little more romantic. But all of this feels like fodder and distraction around the one hour and fifteen minute mark. It’s at this point where the most bizarre and unexpected twist occurs. While the shock factor is certainly spot on, the absurdity of it takes away from the movie as a whole and makes it incredibly difficult to discern what director William Oldroyd meant for us to take away from the movie.
Anne Hathaway is compelling in a role that feels crafted particularly for her. She does glamour well and the intrigue as to who she really is shines through every scene. Her counterpart, Thomasin McKenzie, plays ordinary and plain perfectly, deferring to Hathaway’s dominance and reacting in a way that feels genuine. For those hoping for another period piece lesbian romance a la Carol (2015), prepare to be disappointed. There is intrigue, mystery, and an electric intensity between the two leads that keeps you interested. But it never truly feels like Oldroyd knows what type of movie he’s trying to make. Is it a lesbian romance? A period piece? A look at the dysfunctionality of the prison system? A psychological thriller? We aren’t exactly sure, which might be part of the problem.
You’ll like this movie if:
1. You like will they/won’t they stories
2. You like absolutely bonkers twists
3. You want to see Anne Hathaway be glamorous AF
