Darlin' (2019)

September 6, 2020 9:29 PM

Found at a Catholic hospital filthy and ferocious, feral teenager Darlin' is whisked off to a care home run by The Bishop and his obedient nuns, where she is to be rehabilitated into a "good girl" as an example of the miraculous work of the church. But Darlin' holds a secret darker than the "sins" she is threatened with, and she is not traveling alone. The Woman who raised her, equally fierce and feral, is ever present in the shadows of Darlin's psyche and is determined to come for her no matter who tries to get in her way.

Written and directed by Pollyanna McIntosh. Available streaming in the US on on Amazon Prime or Tubi.

posted by DirtyOldTown (3 comments total)

Pollyanna McIntosh didn't land this one entirely, but she's clearly got chops. Add it to her phenomenal talent in front of the camera and she's one of the bright lights of contemporary horror.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:17 AM on September 7, 2020 [1 favorite]

While this has some gore, it's nowhere near as traumatizing as The Woman. It even has a sense of humor. Though oddly, while said sense of humor is one of the best aspects of the movie, McIntosh overplays this hand and it's also the source of some of the film's weaker spots. Not a great film by any stretch, but I like McIntosh's style, which is straightforward.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 3:01 PM on September 7, 2020

I’m not familiar with these films, but I’m fascinated by the star of a previous movie taking over sole creative duties in a subsequent film, both writing and directing the sequel. I’m sure the situation isn’t completely unprecedented, but I can’t think of another example.
posted by Ian A.T. at 9:49 PM on September 7, 2020 [2 favorites]