The Stylist
The Stylist is a 2020 American horror drama film produced, co-written and directed by Jill Gevargizian. The film is based on the director's short film of the same name and stars Najarra Townsend and Brea Grant. The film premiered at the 2020 Fantastic Fest. Plot. Claire works as a hairdresser at home. Every day she gets clients, who, while she does their hair, tell interesting stories. The job that she does is tedious and lonely, and no one seems to realize that she has feelings too. One of her frequent clients that she takes care of  is Olivia, who one day asks her to make her a haircut for a wedding. Claire eventually gets deeply sad with her life, and decides to kill Olivia, in order to make her life better. As Claire kills one client after another, she mimics their lifestyle by using their belongings, voices, even their hair to decorate her cellar. Release. "The Stylist" premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 25, 2020, and subsequently got screened at the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival on February 5, 2021 as well as screening in a Narrative Feature Competition at the Florida Film Festival in April  2021. On June 7, 2021, the film was released on Blu-ray via Arrow Video. The Blu-ray version featured a short film titled "The Stylist" (which was director's short film in 2016) and a new short "Pity" and "The Invisible Woman", a visual essay by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. It also came with many Behind the Scenes footages, various outtakes and location scouting. Reception. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes the film has a score of based on reviews from critics, with an average rating of rating. The site's consensus reads, "A slasher with flair and  crafty patience for the kill, "The Stylist" marks writer-director Jill Gevargizian as an uncommonly sharp genre filmmaker." "Starburst"s Andrew Pollard called "The Stylist" "a brilliant movie", while Noel Murray of the "Los Angeles Times" wrote "This is a [film] that suggests finding a new friend as an adult can be as difficult and emotionally wrenching as escaping a serial killer". Kristy Strouse of Film Inquiry wrote ""The Stylist" has everything one can want from a horror film; a talented female lead, lots of chills and bloody enticements, and a wickedly impressive style". Simon Rother of "The Horror News Network  wrote "The Stylist is nonetheless an interesting film that portrays the life of an extreme introvert who has difficulty coping with the social world, all while concealing a disturbing hobby and obsession". Kat Hughes of "The Hollywood News" was praising the film for its "[i]nherently feminine, gorgeously shot and styled [visuals]", as well as "[its] killer performances, sticky scalping's, and costumes to die for". According to Meagan Navarro of "Bloody Disgusting" "Gevargizian demonstrates a strong, clear vision for her sympathetic psychopath, and "The Stylist" presents as one of the more sophisticated depictions of a burgeoning serial killer". Following film 's screening at the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival, Erin Grant of the "Fear Forever" wrote ""The Stylist" is an incredibly insightful slasher with the right mix of sincerity and comedy".