Lady Macbeth (2017)

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  TheMovieDiorama

  8 / 10

  Lady Macbeth is a sumptuous tale filled with manipulation and promiscuity. Well, I wasn't expecting that! A period drama I was told, a classy thriller I got. I can see why this deserves all the acclaim it received, it's absolutely stunning. A young lady lives a lifeless marriage, lacking a sexual spark. She embarks on a passionate affair with one of her husband's workers to which unleashes an unstoppable force for lust and power. I say unstoppable, I use that word lightly. My word, this woman is one manipulative puppeteer. Her ability to create deceit with ease, her authoritative power to control her workers allows her to get away with murder (quite literally...) and then her passionate affair paints a powerful portrait of a woman who gets what she wants. An utterly fierce narrative seizing female independence in a world dominated by men. What makes this film particularly more special, are Florence Pugh and William Oldroyd. The latter makes his directorial debut feature, exceptional might I add. Incredibly stunning segments showcasing the gorgeous landscapes of rural England and several static camera shots to allow some highly skilled one take scenes, particularly one moment involving a child on the sofa (extremely captivating and shocking...). Pugh commanded every scene, in fact the whole film was played through her fingertips. A tour-de-force performance, no doubt. Costumes and production were accurate and beautiful to look at, really captured the period age. The story itself takes a good third of the film to get going, but once one twist is revealed it just keeps spiralling out of control. By the end, I was hooked. My eyes were glued to the screen as we watch the lady of the house sit in silence. The silence really was piercing, very effective method I must say. Period settings may not for everyone, but I highly recommend you give this slow thriller a watch. Mesmerising and sensational.

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