Godawful direction saved by superb performances

Rating: Null/10 (9 January 2019)

The first thing that strikes one once the story begins is how "peculiar" the direction is. Like a film student just out of college who needs to learn that tricks. fish eye lenses, weird camera angles and fancy flourishes are totally unnecessary and merely distract from telling the story. This viewer's reaction was that the director needs to go back to film school to learn how to direct. The second thing that becomes blatantly obvious is that the director is neither American or British (without actually knowing that he is Greek). The directing style is simply odd and leaves one wondering how much better this movie could have been with a more traditional storyteller. Obviously such an off the wall director is instantly embraced as a critic's darling, which kicks the mass audience's appreciation to the curb. What saves this movie is the superb performances from the three supremely talented actresses, all at the top of their form. A lurid script, needlessly peppered with the most graphic four letter words, is saved by the fascinating story and the onscreen battle between all three actresses. Olivia Colman gives an Oscar worthy performance and it would be hard to choose between Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz for best supporting actress. All in all this is an enthralling story that really kicks into action in the third act, when the director stops directing and just allows the actresses to do their work. No question this movie will be nominated for a bunch of Oscars but the tiresome distraction of the director who needs to stop drawing attention to his peculiar style (look at me, look at me, I'm the star of this movie!) would be the least deserved. No question it's going to happen as the critics love him. Oh well, at least we have the fine performances of three wonderful leading ladies.