On paper, “The Dead Girl” looked like a film I would love. It’s a 2006 indie thriller written and directed by Karen Moncrieff. Its plot is short and simple. An ensemble cast is filled with names I love. It’s a solid film, but the outcome failed to meet its own expectations.
The story centers on the discovery of a dead body. The movie is revealed through five parts, each one independent of the other but all five revolving in some way around the grisly event. The film received a nomination for the 2007 Independent Spirit Awards for Best Feature and Best Director (Moncrieff).
The cinematography depicts a grainy, video-like feel. The five vignettes are too complex to detail here. Arden Taylor (Toni Collette) finds a mangled dead body on her property. Arden lives with and cares for her abusive mother (Piper Laurie).
It was a bit of irony to see Toni Collette discovering a mutilated corpse a decade before Hereditary. And then to see Piper Laurie portraying a shrew of a mother three decades after Carrie.
Five Parts
In other chapters of the film, Rose Byrne plays a mortician who thinks the unidentified body may be that of her long since missing sister. Mary Steenburgen plays the mother who refuses to accept this scenario.
Marcia Gay Harden, Kerry Washington, Josh Brolin, and James Franco all lend support. Brittany Murphy portrays a low-life sort in a way only Murphy could do. My boy Giovanni Ribisi plays a punk obsessed with serial killers.
At 94 minutes, “The Dead Girl” will keep you invested. The story is well paced, and diverse enough to keep anyone compelled to watch. The mystery aspect is overshadowed by some of the red herrings, but that’s okay.
Great Acting
The acting is superb. There’s a limited number of scenes and screen time for each character, which keeps things fresh. Toni Collette is great at playing distraught. Brittany Murphy was born to play troubled. Rose Byrne does cute like none other. The material is heavy, and each actor delivers with ease.
Being a fan of movies told with multiple perspectives, I was expecting to leave with a new favorite film. Despite having no issues with the length or the story, I wasn’t as wowed as I thought I would be.
Unintentional interaction between storylines may have helped. Or less time spent on the weaker parts. I’m not sure what would have pushed it over the edge.
“The Dead Girl” is worth watching. Its good enough that your experience may be different than mine.
