Barracuda (2017)
Matt Boiselle
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Starring Sophie Reid, Leslie Naugle, Allison Tolman
Directed by Jason Cortlund and Jessica Halperin
Working under the guise of a sweet reunion-like piece between two long lost sisters, Barracuda devolves into something much darker and depressing, and it works on a number of levels. Using the “stalker-killer” stamp like a shiny badge on a sheriff patrolling a dusty back road, the movie is not only gritty, but gloomy and so very vicious in a subtle fashion.
Co-directed by Jason Cortlund and Jessica Halperin, the movie focuses on Sinaloa (Reid), who is hitchhiking across Texas in order to connect with the father that she never met, and since he’s recently passed away, the impetus for such a connection is much more significant. While Sinaloa has never tasted the rewards of her father’s work while alive (he was a country music singer with a boatload of personal demons), her half-sister Merle (Tolman) has stood directly under the windfall that was her daddy’s monetary assets. Merle’s upcoming marriage to her fiancee and dealing with a wedding planner from hell: her mother (JoBeth Williams in a fantastic role) – it’s needless to say that her stress level is maxing out – and now she’s got a half-sister knocking on her door? In any event, the “reunion” if you will goes off incredibly well, but the overcast shadow of something not being okey-dokey in the upper-floors of Sinaloa’s mind starts to show, and at times it’s truly chilling to see.
With Sinaloa’s trek being played out in the movie’s opening scenes, we can plainly see that she’s come quite a long way to find out more about the man whom she’s referred to as her father, and why his self-destructive ills have left such a scar upon her present time. He’s portrayed as a man who only lived to care about himself, and his damning ways have wreaked trouble for his offspring in more ways than one – it’s a history lesson that takes a formidable turn, and although you can almost see just what’s coming, you’re still not ready for it when it happens. Sinaloa’s musical prowess has shined through for years, and while the locals are impressed with her talents, deep down she’s as wounded as any little girl whose father has abandoned her, and it’s manifesting into a seriously disturbing identity. The film trudges along, but with a complement of beautiful imagery and exemplary performances, Barracuda takes the horror genre to another level, using a pseudo feel-good story to ultimately yank the rug out from under your firmly planted feet, and concussing you with a “WTF?” sense of being – this is so disturbing on a number of platforms, I had to watch it again simply to let the feelings simmer and resurface from the first time I laid eyes upon it. Do yourself a solid favor and give this one a look, but remember if someone comes knocking on your door claiming to be a half-brother or sister…slam that f**king door FIRMLY in their face.
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Film
Categorized:Reviews
