WARNING: I’m going to be as spoiler-free as I can but I’m including a trigger warning for sexual abuse and drug misuse.
Synopsis: Musical prodigy Charlotte joins up with the new star cellist, Elizabeth for a trip which ends with devastating and shocking events.
Director: Richard Shepard
Starring: Allison Williams, Alaina Huffman, Steven Weber
Review: Wow. Just, wow. I went in to ‘The Perfection’ with no prior knowledge as to what it was about. I’d read a few spoiler-free reviews which all gave it high praise so thought I’d give it a try. It’s hard to classify into one genre and has elements of drama, thriller, mystery and horror. There are also aspects to the story which will trigger viewers so be warned.
I’ll start with the acting. It was excellent and there were no weak performances during some highly intense scenes. There’s some stunning costumes at the beginning and given this is a movie about musicians, the score is also subtle and doesn’t intrude at all – there’s no playing for jump scares here. The effects are pretty good, although in places look a little cheap, but I think this is actually part of the story (it’s all explained in one of the flashbacks).
The plot is a rollercoaster and just when you think you’re clear what is going on, the movie takes another turn and veers in a totally different direction. One minute I thought it was a standard pandemic movie, gets a bit gruesome, then it became a thriller/revenge movie and there were flashbacks throughout to clarify the story. It’s a dark story which doesn’t really give you any respite until the end credits. The story gets slightly incredulous in places but is fast-paced enough to ensure it’s very watchable.
To achieve the Perfection is the aim for these characters. Do they manage it? It’s a good movie, but not one I would rush back to. This isn’t to dismiss it, but I prefer my horror to have more of a supernatural bent and certain aspects of the subject matter left me uncomfortable. Give the Perfection a go and let me know if it hits the perfect ‘A’ note with you.