Magpie - New Release Review
Director: Sam Yates
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Shazad Latif, Matilda Lutz, Alistair Petrie, Pippa Bennett-Warner
Written by: Tom Bateman
Produced by: Tom Bateman, Camilla Bray, Daisy Ridley, Kate Solomon
Cinematography by: Laura Bellingham
Original Score by: Isobel Waller-Bridge
Synopsis:
A couple find their lives turned upside-down when their daughter is cast alongside a controversial major star.
Thoughts:
Daisy Ridley has had an interesting few years after her explosive debut in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Instead of going for big leading lady Hollywood films, she’s taken a set back and dived into the independent cinema world. 'Sometimes I Think About Dying', 'The Marsh King’s Daughter' and 'Young Woman and The Sea' have all been incredible performances from Ridley, but all of these films have seemed to go under the radar of the general public.
With the announcement of Ridley returning to the 'Star Wars' universe, I think people will be surprised at how much she’s grown as an actress. 'Magpie' might be Ridley’s best performance yet and this time around, it’s based on a story she created herself.
Ridley plays Anette, a mother of two who has clearly been suffering with severe post-partum depression. Her husband Ben (Shazad Latif) isn’t much help, giving Anette the cold shoulder anytime he’s in the room with his wife. Their oldest daughter, Tilly (Hiba Ahmed) has landed a star making role in a big movie and Ben has taken it upon himself accompany his daughter on set. It isn’t long before Ben starts getting himself romantically involved with the main star of the film, leaving Anette at home with their new born. From here, the movie becomes a slow burn descent into Ridley’s depression and how she handles being trapped in a loveless marriage with a cheating husband.
Ridley plays this extremely well, never over selling the situation and making the character feel very real to life. The script written by Tom Bateman (Ridley’s real-life husband) feels like it’s pulling from events that have happened in past relationships. At times the roles almost feel a touch under-written but by the time the third act begins, it’s clear that this staggered style of dialogue is on purpose. Shazad Latif plays an absolute bastard here, but to the point that you don’t really understand what Anette found likeable about him in the first place. A little bit more insight into how good their relationship used to be would have been good, just to show how bad things have got for this couple.
Director Sam Yates is best known for his work in theatre and it shows here with how well he presents Ridley’s character. The visuals aren’t the focus here and Yates does a great job with the script, showing Anette as this completely broken woman. One scene in particular that I loved involves Anette literally trying to out run her problems and her slow realisation that she can’t leave her kids just because her life has become overwhelming. At times, Ridley almost feels like Norman Bates, often making it feel like there is more going on under the surface. By the time we get to the credits, all of Ridley’s ticks and nuance acting choices pay off in such an incredible way.
If you can handle a slow burn, 'Magpie' rewards you with an impressive payoff and a career best performance from Daisy Ridley.
Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Adam Neeson
'Magpie' is available on UK and Ireland digital platforms on November 11th
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