RoweReviews
  • Viewing Log / Reviews
  • Search
  • Ramblings
  • Contact Me

Thoroughbreds (2017) - Corey Finley

3/13/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
A striking social critique masquerading as a "black comedy", Corey Finley's Thoroughbred is centered around two upper-class teenage girls living in a lavish suburban Connecticticut, individuals who find their once defunct friendship rekindled due to a shared interest in alleviating themselves from certain problems in their life - mainly, Lily's controlling step-dad.  Thoroughbreds' excels both thematically and narratively due in large part to its characterizations, presenting the audience with two characters in a way that intrigues but never completely reveals their intentions.  Amanda is the oddball, the sociopath whose ambivalent nature towards everyone and everything leaves her detached.  She is a character that is brutally honest about her feelings, or lack there of, being completely void of the facade of politeness expected in general social exchanges.  Lily is more what one would expect from an upper-class teenage characterization, an individual whose buttoned-up, proper existence has begun to wear thin.  Struggling to deal with a stepdad who refuses support her both financially and emotionally, Lily has developed severe disdain for this man.  It's through these two characterizations where Thoroughbreds' social critique manifests itself, as the film slowly subverts one's expectations, revealing a stark commentary on the current state of American society, one in which selfish intentions drive success more than empathy.  While it's Amanda who intimidates and concerns the audience with her lack of general emotion early on, the film slowly reveals that Lily is the character who is truly dangerous, an individual who is completely driven by self-interest.  Thoroughbreds establishes the step-dad as a character who is unredeemable, presenting him in as a malevolent force, one who only brings oppression and pain into Lily's life,  slowly and methodically destroying the bond shared between Lily and her mother.  Presenting him as simply, the rich, evil prick early on, Throughbreds completely manipulates the audience, who unbeknownst  to them is only seeing this man solely through the perspective of the self-absorbed Lily.  We eventually are broken free of this perspective to reveal LIly as a spoiled, selfish character, one whose spite for her step-dad is directly related to his inability to coddle her and financially support her to a fault.   His desire for her to forge her own path, void of his influence both financially and socially, is the real reason for their constant confliction, as Lily expects him to support every decision she makes, no matter what, something which it seems her mother was willing to-do before remarrying.  While Amanda may speak in a way which frightens people, due to her general ambivalence towards the existential nature of life; it's Lily who is the real predator, the wolf in sheep's clothing, the individual who can cause real harm; as she is the individual who is driven, first-and-foremost by her own self-interests alone, an individual who wields both her financial and social capital for personal gain. Through this narrative bait & switch, Lily transforms into a sinister force, becoming a parable, or better yet, the manifestation of late capitalism and the current problems centered around the oligarchical system in America, one in which financial welfare is expected not earned by those of privileged status.  The conclusion of the film perfectly encapsulates the allegorical nature of this tale, one which finds us reintroduced to a version of Lily whom seems to be successful and flourishing personally,  with her privileged, self-involved nature being the perfect catalyst for success in  the dog-eat-dog nature of contemporary, American life.  A film sold very much as a black comedy from a marketing perspective, Thoroughbreds is feels more like a pitch black social commentary, one in which its comedic intentions never disrupt or cheapen the more introspective nature of its story, featuring comedic moments which never feel forced for the mere sake of cutting through the philosophical nature of its commentary on the darker aspects of contemporary human life.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Love of all things cinema brought me here.  

    Archives

    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Viewing Log / Reviews
  • Search
  • Ramblings
  • Contact Me