Movie Review – Longlegs

Starting off with some fun facts about director Osgood Perkins. He is Anthony Perkins son (yes, that Anthony Perkins). He directed Gretel & Hansel. He wrote and directed Longlegs, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, and The Blackcoat’s Daughter. And he is most recognizable acting wise for Legally Blonde in which he was the guy Elle Woods pretended broke her heart so two hot girls would suddenly be interested.

With that in mind, Longlegs fits right in with his other written and directed films. It’s a slow burn that builds to one of those endings that makes you wonder what the hell just watched. And that’s a compliment of the highest order.

The film follows FBI agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) and agent Carter (Blair Underwood) as they try to solve a serial killer case. The killer (Nicolas Cage) reaches out to her, and Lee’s mother (Alicia Witt) is as awkward as her own daughter so the dynamic is unsettling. It’s meant to be, as is the character design for the killer. You want to look away but can’t because you can’t believe what you’re looking at. Again, the best form of compliment.

I’ll not spoil the story because you should go in as blind as possible. I’ll only say that Cage, Monroe, and Witt all hit the ground running in this. They deserve to be in the Oscar conversation because they hit it out of the park. Every moment they occupy on screen draws your eye.

For me, the pay off is great at the end. The build up is so slow, so unsettled, that when you get to where the film is taking you, you’re just shocked to be there. And yet not shocked. Like, you knew this was probably coming.

Four and a half stars. If you can, see it when the crowds die down. Let the empty theater give you added ambiance so you can see the spectacle that is Nicolas Cage’s horror era.