Magpie

Thank you Daisy for the original idea.

As a lonely housewife myself who has been cheated on and given up my own life for my husband, I really related to this movie. Daisy managed to capture anxiety, depression, PTSD and spite all in one character. I've been her and I know how awful it is and how manic you feel.

You're never totally sure if you should pity Annette or root for or be disgusted by her, until the end. At first it's not entirely obvious that the story is even about her. The portrayal of her husband is properly fleshed out and amazingly nuanced considering what sort of characters men are given these days. They are often too simplistic and vapid. This movie did a pretty good job of writing believable people while entertaining and surprising me. I almost felt as though whoever wrote the ending took a piece of my life and put it into a movie. We're not crazy, we're just reviving ourselves.

More movies like this, please.

Not everything (technically) adds up in this taut 90-minute infidelity thriller, but I'm really liking the dramatic roles that Daisy Ridley has been taking up recently. This is written by her spouse Tom Bateman, and plays out much like any married-relationship-turned-bitter thriller even though its setup looks fairly unique. But I have questions (burning ones, in fact). Asking them would resort to giving away spoilers, so I'll refrain. Sam Yates gives it the neo-noir treatment, simultaneously taking advantage of Ridley's strong points.

The final twist looks satisfying on paper (and momentarily on screen too), though the feasibility of it is somewhat questionable. The male lead also comes across as a permanently rude and uncaring "human", let alone a partner or a parent. Since the film wants to get to the point quickly, there's a definite lack of texture to everyone except for Ridley's character-the actor once again aces her role. Nonetheless, Magpie is one of those films that offers instant gratification, even if you may forget it soonafter.

As "Magpie" (2024 release from the UK; 90 min.) opens, a young girl named Mathilda (or Tilly) passes a film screening and is cast in a movie, playing the young daughter in a costume drama. The mother's role in the movie is played by a well-known and somewhat controversial actress. Mathilda's set chaperone is her dad, and it's not before long that he is smitten by the controversial actress... At this point we are 10 minutes into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is the latest from British director Sam Yates, best known for his theater work. Here he brings a British marriage mystery thriller with a no-names British cast. The entire movie pivots on a couple of plot twists, which of course I'm not going to spoil. Even though the movie lasts only 90 minutes, it takes quite a while to really get going. But the last 15 minutes or thereabouts are a lot of fun and make up for the slow start.

"Magpie" premiered at the 2024 SXSW film festival and had a short US theatrical run later that year. It is now streaming on Hulu where I caught it just the other night. The movie is currently rated 83% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, which seems quite generous to me. If you are in the mood for a British marriage-gone-wrong thriller, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

I just finished watching this and it kept my interest. You sort of new there was a build up in this movie but the writers kept it hidden pretty good. Since you were always waiting for the climax this thriller did its job pretty good. It does play to certain stereotypes of husbands and wife's. It is a bit unusual to see a movie breaking out of the liberal movement of 2024.

This is a great couples movie and it does not disappoint. Definitely a conversation starter after watching this. Which the junkyard of movies coming out of Hollywood this one is brave enough to go out into left field. Put this movie near the top of your list.

By far the best aspect of taut little British psychological drama "Magpie" is its cracking lead performance from Daisy Ridley as a doormat wife trampled on by narcissist hubbie Shazad Latif as she edges towards insanity in their beautiful yet remote country home. Things come to a head when young daughter Hiba Ahmed is cast in a film shooting nearby, where Latif gets drawn to captivating lead actress Matilda Lutz (rising star)... but how will Ridley react? Sam Yates' direction's fine, Tom Bateman's debut screenplay's neat enough (albeit with holes), and the support cast's solid - but the big fish here is unquestionably Ridley. A terrific actress, so strong again.