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The name of this film is as blunt and unforgiving as the stories it tells, and you should brace yourself before watching it.
The Dead Girl is made up of the individual stories of five women who are all connected to a girl found dead in field, but in terminally dysfunctional, six degrees of separation kind of way. I hate to say too much about how each of the women fit into the story because it would basically explain the whole plot of the film and it’s the kind of story that should slowly unfold in front of you. But there is The Stranger, The Sister, The Mother, The Wife and The Dead Girl, all of who tell very different stories.
Each chapter leaps into their lives around the time they intercept with the dead girl and is a mini essay on their reactions to the encounter. While the time you spend with the character is short, it is also complete. I didn’t feel like I was left hanging or wanting more from any of the women. I knew how they reacted to brush with death and I knew what their immediate future held, and given this was only a small peek into their lives it was enough.
Of course the strong presence of the dead girl means the film is slathered in fresh grief and despair. There are small tinges of hope, but these are only significant in comparison to the darkness of the women’s lives.
All performances, without exception, are outstandingly powerful. Toni Collette (The Stranger) always delivers a brilliant wrung out character, and Rose Bryne managed to cry most of the time without being annoyingly weepy. But it was Mary Beth Hurt and her portrayal as The Wife that blew me away. She was the character I could least related to, and her actions only served to reinforce this, but she sparked a real emotional response. This was the story that was hardest to bear, but Hurt somehow managed to provoke a sympathetic response.
The story and characters are given more strength through director (and writer) Karen Moncrief’s beautifully composed and well thought out shots. I think this was one of the most important elements in providing a structure that allowed the film to shift positions without feeling like you were jumping all over the place.
Do not see this film if your anti-depressant prescription has run out, but if you want to feel something and experience a film that will stay with you long after you leave the theatre this is it.
Credits
Writer & Director: Karen Moncrieff
Cast: Toni Collete, Piper Laurie, Giovanni Ribisi, Rose Byrne, James Franco, Mary Beth Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden, Kerry Washington, Brittany Murphy, Nick Searcy
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