Mostly prevalent in the late '80s and
early '90s, the "Stalker Film" was known for its erotic and
psychological elements, typically focusing on a man or woman's
dangerous obsession with their former lover. Since the '90s, this
particular thriller sub-genre has mostly died out, only occasionally
popping up here and there, but rarely as something memorable. In the
last couple years however, there have been a couple new stalker
films, albeit, with some notable changes. Ingrid Goes West
turned the stalker film into a heartfelt comedy, and Unsane,
notable for having been shot on an iPhone, focused on the shadier
aspects of the mental health industry. Greta, directed by
Neil Jordan, appears to be a return to the more traditional elements
of the stalker film.
Like films such as Fear, or
Fatal Attraction, it focuses on one individual's obsession
with the protagonist. Unlike those films, where the obsession was a
result of an affair or relationship that ended badly, Greta
centers on a friendship between Greta, played by Isabelle Huppert,
and Frances, played by Chloe Grace Moretz. Rather than the main plot
kicking in as a result of Frances merely getting creeped out by
Greta, the action starts when she discovers a collection of handbags
Greta has stowed away, indicating that Greta not only orchestrated
their meeting, but has done it repeatedly in the past. Naturally,
this terrifies Frances, who immediately breaks off all contact with
Greta. It's this action that sets Greta off on her obsessive
stalking of Frances. This whole second act of the film is rife with
all the standard stalker film cliches. Greta waits outside Frances
place of employment. She sends her pictures of her roommate Erica
that she's followed around, etc. This is all entertaining stuff to
watch, and of course keeps me engaged, yet it's also where this film
falters when it has the potential for greatness.
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| Oh my! Look at the size of that sandwich! |
The turning point of the film is
Frances discovering Greta's collection of handbags, indicating her
dark pattern. My question here is what would have happened if
Frances had never made this discovery? Of course this story would
have led to the same conclusion that it did, but I would love to have
somehow seen some sort of exploration of how this discovery separated
Frances from Greta's other victims. Had any of these other girls
found out about her before she made it obvious? What was Greta's
normal procedure with them? If Frances had never found the bags, how
long would it have taken to discover Greta's true intentions? These
are the kinds of questions I find myself asking as this film
continues with its paint by numbers formula.
Greta was a return to the
standard stalker film that lands with a whimper rather than a bang.
It had the potential to introduce some new elements innovative to the
genre, but instead, decided to stick to the standard twists and turns
we've all seen dozens of times. Every hint that should have been
subtle was loud, and every big twist that should have been shocking
was predictable. Sure, I had fun while I was watching it, but Greta
is a film that's already fading from my memory, which is never a good
sign.
-Derek Miranda
