“Strung,” directed by Malcolm D. Lee (“Space Jam: A New Legacy,” “Night School”), is a 2026 mystery thriller that may be beautiful to look at, but the more you think about it, the more the story falls apart piece by piece and scene by scene.
Laila, portrayed by Chloe Bailey (“The Exorcism”), is a violinist haunted by a traumatic past that has forced her into a life where she loses herself in her craft and lets each day pass her by without taking any risks — or at least that’s how the film portrays her. Seriously, have we not seen enough of the shrinking violet trope? Apparently, people don’t understand her, and she doesn’t understand them either. But that’s nothing a charming man in the unlikeliest of places can’t fix, sharing a night of passion with this ever-so-vulnerable young woman.
Trauma and its Masks
Stuck in a dead-end job and couch-surfing at a friend’s place, she’s approached with an offer to become a tutor for a young girl named Zuri (Romy Wood), helping her prepare for an important music recital. Zuri herself doesn’t play the violin; she’s more of a piano girl. I’m pretty sure this job could have been reserved for an actual pianist, but hey, I’m no musician. The full-time position requires Laila to live on the family’s estate, where things aren’t quite what they seem, and something more sinister is afoot.
Zuri, much like Laila, has her own trauma, which she hides behind a mask given to her by her late father. Influenced by Zulu culture, the film appears to use the mask as a way for her to stay connected to her ancestors, however they see fit. However, this is largely left open to interpretation, as the feature offers only brief glimpses into these ideas. The references to the culture and its beliefs feel more like drive-by mentions than meaningful exploration, existing simply to make audiences think, “Oh, that’s neat. A bit creepy, but the more you know.”
The film also goes out of its way to be excessively creepy at times. Almost every interaction with the staff on the property feels awkward or overtly ominous. There’s no subtlety, and it constantly feels as though the film is forcing the audience to anticipate a threat that hasn’t yet materialized. It’s bad enough that our lead is isolated in a remote location, surrounded by the elite, but everyone is strange—the mother, the father, and even the head chef.
Lynn Whitfield is a Joy to Watch
Blessing the screen with her talents is Lynn Whitfield (“Head of State,” “Eve’s Bayou”) as Zuri’s grandmother. While most of the performances are fairly mediocre, Whitfield proves why she’s the veteran whenever she’s on-screen. I’m not entirely sure what her character actually contributes to the film — besides lounging by the pool and drinking champagne — but I’m a fan, so I’m always happy to see her at work.
By the time the film reaches its second act, it feels like you’re watching a completely different movie. A major twist shifts the momentum in a direction that I found cheesy, bleeding into the realm of someone’s secret desires. I wasn’t sure if the film was meant to be a story about someone’s deteriorating mental state, with self-sabotage, cabin fever, and paranoia gradually escalating the events, or something else entirely. Either way, the story wasn’t flowing in a logical direction, making the twist feel more jarring than satisfying.
A Thriller that Fails to Deliver Thrills
But we’ve gotten this far, so how about one more twist for the road? The epic conclusion takes a big swing for the fences and misses spectacularly. The film just… ends, and of course it does. There are no real consequences, no one left to pick up the pieces of this mess, and barely any sense of danger, largely because of the characters’ illogical decisions and the film’s inability to place anyone in genuine jeopardy.
If there’s one thing the film deserves praise for, it’s the set design and wardrobe. If you’re telling a story about a wealthy family, they should at least look the part, and everyone looks flawless. However, as good as the film looks, it doesn’t make up for the fact that this is a mystery that isn’t mysterious and a thriller that never delivers any thrills.
“Strung” is now streaming on Peacock.
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