Lizzie

As good as the performances are in this film, for a long, long stretch it is very slow and staid. Chloë Sevigny and Kristen Stewart are quite good as Lizzie Borden and Bridget Sullivan respectively. The film looks at Borden's relationship with Sullivan and speculates about its playing a central role in the notorious events that followed. A film taking place in 19th century New England, this is also an examination of how dreadfully repressive life was for women at that time. Sullivan is a household servant of the Borden family but soon finds herself being used in other ways in a patriarchal home.

The film is very much told from Lizzie Borden's standpoint, but does not give too much of a backstory, other than to portray her family as regarding her as insane and in need of institutionalization. In addition, giving the audience a more in-depth sense of Borden's life thereafter is something the film could have done and should have. With that kind of void, we are left wanting. Nevertheless, I recommend this to those curious enough about this story and anyone who admires the work of the two principals.

The acting of Chloe Sevigny, Kristen Stewart, and Jamey Sheridan carries this film, as I see it. It's the latest interpretation of what happened on August 4th, 1892, in Fall River, Massachusetts, when the sensational axe murders of Andrew and Gabby Borden occurred in their home.

The movie is quite slow paced, and has several lurid, gruesome, and violent scenes perpetrated against both humans and animals. There's also a concurrent theme of sexual molestation, as well as graphic nudity in the final 25 minutes or so of the film.

Overall, this film won't appeal to everyone and can be difficult to watch at times, but, for me, the fine acting was enough to keep me engaged.

I thought this was a pretty decent film well acted by Chloe Sevigny and I thought Kristen Stewart's accent work was good too. This film may fall under the horror category but except from the last 20 min or so, its not very horrifying. It's definitely more of a drama of a woman stifled by her time. But still very interesting at times. There are some moments here and there that do feel slow pacing wise.

The lesbian storyline doesnt bother me. No, its not a fact that Lizzie was one. Although to be fair its not like people were exactly "out and proud" then. And yes, it mostly came about as a theory/rumour because she never married. But nonetheless has been a theory so its not like this plot point comes out of nowhere to create a certain agenda.

I liked it, but it wasnt perfect. I think a 7 is fair.

I was more impressed than I expected to be with this film. It is slower paced in the first two acts, but Sevigny and Stewart both deliver performances worth watching, and the smaller details of the story are livened up enough that I was interested throughout. With some films surrounding killers, I feel as if the moment of murder is the only interesting aspects, but with this film, Lizzie's character was compelling enough to keep me engaged throughout. There were a few shakier scenes with some minor characters, and a few scenes that felt a touch overdone, but for the most part this was a very decent film.

"Lizzie" (2018 release; 105 min.) is a bio-pic about Lizzie Borden. As the movie opens, we are told it is "August 4, 1892", and we see Lizzie walking around in the garden, and then going into the house, where we hear her scream and the camera shows a heavily mutated slain body. We then go to "6 Months Earlier", as we get to know Bridget, an Irish girl who has gotten work as a maid in the Borden family that is ruled with an iron fist by Lizzie's dad. Lizzie and Bridget strike up an unlikely friendship... To tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the 2nd feature length from up-and-coming director Craig William Macneill. Here he brings the latest Lizzie Borden movie adaptation (it'e been a TV movie several times over). While this is in a sense a "whodunnit" movie, as we are eager to find out exactly what happened on that August 4, 1892, it really is far more than that: Macneill is interested in showing us the atmosphere within which the Borden family (and maid) were living in. Bware: almost the entire film plays out in the Borden house, so at times this very much has the feeling of a stage play. On top of that, the music is sparse. It all has a bit of a claustrophobic feel to it. But the most important thing the movie has going for it are the terrific performances from the two lead actresses, Chloe Sevigny (who also co-produced) and Kristin Stewart. Yes, Stewart at times uses her patented "pained look", at quite effectively within the circumstances.

"Lizzie" premiered at this year's Sundance film festival, to positive buzz. It finally opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, and I couldn't wait to see it. The Sunday early evening screening where I saw this at was attended dismally (3 people, including myself). If you are interested in a decent character study set in the late 19th century and blesses with some wonderful acting performances, I'd readily suggest you check this out, be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion,