March 14, 2019
“Greta,” a new thriller directed by Neil Jordan, stars Chloe Grace Moretz. Moretz has progressed from previous roles in comedies and romance films to darker, more action-packed movies such as “Nerve” and the “5th Wave.” The most recent movie this actress has starred in is “Greta.” This thriller, released on March 1, 2019, features her as Frankie, a naive waitress mourning the loss of her mother. After finding a stranded purse on the subway, she returns it to the rightful owner, a seemingly amiable older woman named Greta. Frankie, mourning the loss of her mom, forms a connection with Greta. Greta begins as a normal enough maternal figure, but upon finding a cupboard filled with bags identical to the one found on the subway, Frankie comes to realize the relationship was a calculated trap. The plot escalates quickly. When Frankie attempts to end the friendship, Greta starts to stalk her.
Throughout the thickening of the plot, Chloe Grace Moretz definitely has her ups and downs. The acting is inconsistent at best and ammature at worst. In the most emotional scenes her performance was believable and maybe even impressive, but in less intense scenes it felt like watching a middle school production with terrible dialogue and scripted movements. The plot was entertaining but had poor cinematic quality. Along with poor acting, at times the soundtrack was overwhelming and stripped the movie of subtlety. Attempted plot twists left the audience stumbling to follow along.
This startling film emphasized the harsh reality of stranger danger. This movie debunks the stereotype of male serial killers with a seemingly harmless old lady. Despite its flaws, this movie is mindless and fun to watch.
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