- Starring
- Daisy Ridley, Shazad Latif, Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz
- Writer
- Tom Bateman
- Director
- Sam Yates
- Rating
- R (United States)
- Running Time
- 90 minutes
- Release Date
- n/a
Overall Score
Rating Summary
This will be one of many reviews during this year’s SXSW Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.
Directed by Sam Yates, Magpie stars Daisy Ridley as Anette, a woman married to Ben (Latif), a famed author and an over-the-top sleazy husband. However, their marriage would soon find itself becoming a little more complicated once a woman named Alicia (Lutz), a glamorous Italian actress who found her way into their lives. Alicia’s latest role was in a big budget drama as a mother figure that also happened to cast Anette and Ben’s daughter Matilda (Hiba Ahmed) as her daughter. Chaperoning his daughter on set, Ben started to develop a serious infatuation with Alicia to the horror and frustration of Anette and from there, the growing tension in their marriage continued to wreak havoc. Little did he know, he and his erratic behavior was the problem, seemingly oblivious of the effect they were having on an already fragile Anette who was essentially left alone to take care their family.
Magpie takes a bit to get going, but once it places all its cards on the table, it is satisfying to watch. In the end, the best part of the film is Ridley’s terrific performance as Anette. She has such a dynamic range as an actress and this film is yet another showcase for Ridley to present a tidal wave of raw emotion on screen. Meanwhile, the screenplay in the film is also incredibly biting, giving Ridley plenty to chew on. For the most part, the film was at its best and most interesting whenever the focus was on Anette. On the other hand, the romantic subplot between Ben and Alicia is pretty typical and doesn’t bring much new to the table. While it does a good job at creating tension, audiences have seen this type of story play out countless time across countless films. Though well-executed, it is not something anyone would consider game-changing.
Ultimately, Magpie is a solid watch all around that will more than entertain in the moment. Featuring a strong script and some great performances, led by a stellar Daisy Ridley, it is definitely worth the watch whenever the film gets picked up by a distributor and is eventually released.
still courtesy of SXSW
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