Due to the loss of the father's memory, a new dynamic occurs between them. Just confirm how you got your ticket. Glenn Kenny was the chief film critic of Premiere magazine for almost half of its existence. In CORDELIA, a young woman spends the weekend alone in her dark, dingy London flat. And Cordelia herself is a pretty chilly customer, albeit hardly without good reason. The film received seven Genie Award nominations at the 1st Genie Awards in 1980. Shergold and Campbell-Hughes orchestrate some very disquieting dream sequences, and scenes in which ostensible reality bleeds into a hallucinatory dream state. Coming Soon. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. I really had no idea what was going on in 80 percent of this movie, but held on for resolution at the end. Antonia Campbell-Hughes is annoying while Johnny Flynn's charisma is wasted in this 'psychological thriller', Joy for Pippa and James Matthews as their seven-month-old daughter is christened at village church, Earl Spencer shares touching childhood photo of his late mother from his personal archives, Prince and Princess of Wales host Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway at Windsor Castle. I found the movie claustrophobic, confusing, hard to follow and hard to understand. the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. All rights reserved. Shergolds directing pulls out all the stops to ensure the audience is thoroughly immersed in Cordelias journey. There are no featured audience reviews for Cordelia at this time. Cinemark | You can help us help kids by The manipulation of an opportunist creeper? British thriller has language, violence, themes of trauma. She was convinced he was the caller but after she stabs him, she get the call and. Cordelia is one of those films that you watch and instantly want to watch again to go back and spot all of the little clues that you missed the first time around. Shot well, good acting and the 1 star review is right, it does lose its way but there's absolutely no way this is a 1 star film. Rooms are ill-lit, utterly unrealistic, and audible dialogue seems to get munched up by the horrible curtains. In "Cordelia," a thriller directed by Adrian Shergold from a script by Shergold and the film's lead actress, Antonia Campbell-Hughes, the title character, who shares a home with her twin sister Caroline (also played by Campbell-Hughes), lives in a flat whose textured green wall coverings are pretty much the exact opposite of welcoming. Later that morning they find a draft of a furniture and decide to finish making it. That ambience is skillfully accented by haunting oboe music in the background. And most importantly, theres the fact that Cordelia doesnt stay tethered to what we would call reality. We, as audience members, are not entirely sure just what were witnessing: is it a mental unraveling of a damaged woman? Browse titles with similar subject matter. The ending of the film is probably the most Peele-esque (if we may use that word) segment of the film. Then it seems to detach and float into a dreamlike state of bypassing the whys and hows in favor of the unsettling and slightly bizarre. The Douglas character, named Nicholas Van Orton, is surrounded by employees who are almost paralyzed by his rigid demands on them . Weve seen this trope dozens of times before; its obvious when the phone is about to ring and by the second call we know whats going to be on the other end. There is a downstairs neighbor, played by Michael Gambon, whose weird vibe is not licentious. Launch List. It. Cordelia attempts to reclaim her power and overcome the stress, anxiety, and trauma of surviving a tragic event. The final cut of the film is a profoundly intriguing psychological thriller, but the possibility of a slightly more erotic psychological thriller in the vein of Fatal Attraction was tantalizingly close to being realized. After Cordelia's last day working in the company, she comes back to an almost empty apartment she just moved in and receives a phone call from her mother. Then reveal of who the neighbor guy was and her reaction to finding out made me ask why was she ok with him before finding out he really really liked her. The Times caught up with the actress before the film's release on video on demand and in select theaters to talk us through that "extraordinary and bizarre" ending. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. While the narrative leaves a lot to be desired, the film as a whole is quite engaging. Low-lit interiors, flickering lights, ominous shadows the tension in Cordelia is alive in the sets as much as in the actors themselves. Filmed in a deliberately disjointed style, there are scenes of violence, including a stabbing with blood from the torso and mouth, as well as threatening phone calls and stalking behavior. And Frank seems nice enough, but after he takes Cordelia to a weirdly deserted bar and he has to step out for some reason and she sees creep-shoot photos of herself and Carolineor is it just her? As she hits the proverbial wall, so does the film. or is it just Carolinehe starts looking pretty dodgy. Can you think of other films that use a similar device? Visit our full length Privacy Policy to get informed on our policies regarding the collection, use and disclosure of information we receive from users. Lawson's quote has been included below. The parents' guide to what's in this movie. Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence? Both Campbell-Hughes and Flynn play their characters, Cordelia and Frank, with a veil of secrecy and mystery that adds to the nervy atmosphere. Johnny Flynn isnt bad, but it becomes wearing to watch such a charismatic actor go to waste. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter Bleeding together dream and reality, the film toys with perceived reality, as the pair play a game of cat and mouse, their roles never quite clearly defined. Cordelia contains cameos from Alun Armstrong and also Michael Gambon, as the scatterbrained elderly neighbour who starts a highly unwelcome conversation about whether or not having mice in your flat means you wont have rats. The script doesnt ride to the rescue: its unimaginative, clunky, full of dazzlingly tedious lines about stuff like RADA (Cordelia went, and says she was really good at acting before drama in her own life cannibalised her career. All the while, shes receiving a number of strange, menacing calls on her landline. Like Cordelia, it starts off as unassuming, but it becomes increasingly unpredictable and intriguing as she carries on. The score is paired beautifully with Tony Slater Lings cold and somber cinematography. She develops an increasingly disturbing relationship with her neighbor, Frank ( Johnny Flynn ), during a weekend home alone. Good movie, but not for everyone though. It wouldn't be a "Creed" film if it didn't end with a massive fight between the big villain and the underdog. Once again, this high point amounts to little and feels rather inconsequential. When Rose decides to face her trauma, she locks herself in the house where she saw her mother die, which is now falling to pieces after being abandoned for decades. Be the first to review this title. 5/10. At one point, Cordelia asks, Am I safe with you, Frank? To which he replies, Am I safe with you?. Unfortunately the plot only intrigues up until the final half hour. One morning, they bump into each other in the workroom and have their first authentic conversation in a long time. In an interview with myFanbase, she explained why she had to turn the role down. And the way it doesnt stay tethered is what gives the movie its distinctive quality. 'Alone' (2023) Ending, Explained: Did Kalidasan Find Sreedevi & Anu's Killer, Or Was He Imagining It . I find myself trying to workout whether or not her sister really exist. Each interaction is met with trepidation and nerves. Respectful? But the movies not really asking the viewer to go that route. External Reviews Last edited on 24 February 2023, at 12:27, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cordlia_(film)&oldid=1141314510, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 12:27. Introduced through an ominous nightmare that foreshadows her fear of the underground, Cordelia instantly becomes a sympathetic presence and an enigma we want to uncover. [1] It is an adaptation of the novel La lampe dans la fentre by Pauline Cadieux, itself based on the real-life 1890s murder trial of Cordlia Viau and Samuel Parslow. Please click the link below to receive your verification email. When her twin leaves for a weekend (with bf Joel Fry) Campbell Hughes gets to know the flirtatious Flynn, but also attracts a sinister stalker (could it BE Flynn?) But with its lush cinematography, archaically creepy set design, and outstanding balancing acts from both Campbell-Hughes and Flynn, its never muddied to the point of being opaque and remains enthralling throughout. Cordelia (Antonia Campbell-Hughes) is a woman living with the ongoing effects of trauma. Yeah I didn't hate it but it wasn't amazing. Even he struggles to fully inhabit the panting geezer-cellist character hes been dealt with, and who can blame him? The quietly accomplished Anthony Shergold directs with slow-burn class, though he really stands out as co-writer with Campbell Hughes of the darkly twisty script. Cordlia is a 1980 Canadian French language film directed and written by Jean Beaudin. Horror. Cordelia strikes up a friendship with Frank (Flynn) the charming, but strange and unreliable young man they can hear practising his cello in the upstairs flat a relationship which quickly becomes very disturbing. Cordelia attempts to reclaim her power and overcome the stress, anxiety, and trauma of surviving a tragic event. But many things weren't tied up or explained at the end. Events take a sudden turn towards the finale of the film. Or therapy. "lush cinematography, archaically creepy set design, and outstanding balancing acts from both Campbell-Hughes and Flynn", Your email address will not be published. Shes helped along the way to madness by her upstairs neighbour Frank (Johnny Flynn), a jobbing cellist with pillowy lips and a discordant geezer accent. The piercing ring of an old-fashioned phone interrupting the sombre silence of the flat is creepy but thats as far as the thrills go. There aren't any reviews yet. In the ending scene, we see Maximo planning on expanding his operations in the north, and Sayen is also going there to act on the plan she made with Jose. The movie seems to be about how he is reduced to humility and humanity--or maybe that's just a trick on him. There, the evil entity of Smile. [2] Plot [ edit] And he accepts that and moves on. | Shes scraped, etherised, so breakable you want to bundle her up in a duvet and cover her in puppies. Rob Rector Cordelia ( Antonia Campbell-Hughes) is a woman living with the ongoing effects of trauma. Franks utterly charming, and its immediately evident that he has eyes for Cordelia. Franks utterly charming, and its immediately evident that he has eyes for Cordelia. However, as the film reaches the climax and all is to be revealed, it suddenly pulls the rug and stops short of perfection. This action offends the conservative villagers. What did it contribute to the movie? | May 20, 2022. Events take a sudden turn towards the finale of the film. Read his answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here. The scene itself is masterfully done, with the entire sequence ramping up the drama as Cordelia steps into her power and prepares to face danger head on, but the moment of triumph quickly dwindles when the answers to viewers' questions don't get answered. Cordelia is released nationwide on 23rd October 2020. Required fields are marked *. And, no I didn't think about how my Cordelia would have been . Others may love it. Awards Coming Soon. When a strange real-estate agent takes them to Yonder, a mysterious suburban neighborhood of identical houses, Tom and Gemma can't leave quick enough. During their meeting, Frank receives a call and suddenly exits the pub from the back, asking Cordelia to accompany him. She is acting in a play and becoming attracted to Frank (Johnny Flynn), the cello player who lives in the apartment above her. Cordelia, written by director Adrian Shergold and star Antonia Campbell-Hughes, opens with a scene in which we see a young girl waking from a bad dream in her bed. Please reference Error Code 2121 when contacting customer service. And theres a genuinely unsettling moment where Cordelia leaves London for an interlude at her stepmothers house in East Anglia, a journey which proceeds as weightlessly as a dream and perhaps it is a dream. Did it handle these themes sensitively? If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. In Cordelia, a thriller directed by Adrian Shergold from a script by Shergold and the films lead actress, Antonia Campbell-Hughes, the title character, who shares a home with her twin sister Caroline (also played by Campbell-Hughes), lives in a flat whose textured green wall coverings are pretty much the exact opposite of welcoming. But with its lush cinematography, archaically creepy set design, and outstanding balancing acts from both Campbell-Hughes and Flynn, its never muddied to the point of being opaque and remains enthralling throughout. During their meeting, Frank receives a call and suddenly exits the pub from the back, asking Cordelia to accompany him. Except for that scene, everything seemed too cliche. Todd Field 's " Tr" ends with disgraced conductor Lydia Tr ( Cate Blanchett) conducting the score of "Monster Hunter . And they have some excellent moments down in the London Underground, whose potential for horror is often mishandled by film-makers but works well here, especially at the very beginning. ..but that could not be maintained and the ending to me was unsatisfactory. How did it affect your experience as a viewer? However, the conclusion is unsatisfactory because it ultimately gives audiences nothing. and the Talk about the strong language in the movie. Copyright Fandango. Cordelia has bad dreams, and when she wakes up were not sure if shes really snapped out of them. Theres rarely a frame that she isnt in, and she is constantly fantastic. At the movies end, in fact, I was pretty irritated. But occasionally the prettiness of these images creates a discord in the film, not unlike that resulting from the unexplained plot details already discussed. Now, Graham's making Film Threat cares about your privacy and the security of your information. The look of the film, too, leaves much to be desired: almost all of it plays out in a lugubrious flat with cakey wallpaper and uncomfortable vintage sofas. All the while, shes receiving a number of strange, menacing calls on her landline. She begins to unravel and sink back into past traumas the more that Frank tries to charm his way into her life, becoming a danger to herself and others. I just hate when filmmakers fixate on a premise and try to build an entire movie around it. He has written for a host of other publications and resides in Brooklyn. with updates on movies, TV shows, Rotten Tomatoes podcast and more. With her twin sister away for the weekend, Cordelia is left alone and overcome with paranoia. The beautiful light in the jail makes Cordelia's imprisonment appear unnecessarily romantic. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. Dont worry, it wont take long. [4] According to Deschnes, there was no evidence that the real Cordlia Viau had not committed the murder, and thus the film's thesis that she was wrongfully convicted was slanderous to the judicial system.[4]. Upon meeting Frank for an after-work drink, Cordelia stumbles across pictures hes taken of both her and Caroline from afar. The lead protagonist bares the scars of this and tries to build her life back from this tragedy. However, as these answers are revealed a hint of the macabre is laced into her performance, making her more and more enthralling to watch. Discuss the violence in the film. Dropping in on a play rehearsalof King Lear, as it happens, and shes understudying a part, but not necessarily her namesakes partshe makes her way back home by walking over Festival Bridge. Metacritic Reviews. Natalie Holts score shoots straight for the heart as it pulls one into this stressful event. Cordelia learns that her father is in fact proud of her. As a result, Cordelias encounters with others are punctuated with awkwardness. Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Jurassic Park Movies Ranked By Tomatometer, The Most Anticipated TV & Streaming Shows of March 2023, Pokmon Detective Pikachu Sequel Finds Its Writer and Director, and More Movie News. In the not too distant future a man is implanted with an AI chip after a crash that. Are the people around her really there or she just imagined them. This film premiered in England in 2019, and those inclined to historical math can infer that maybe Cordelia was a survivor of the London Underground bombing now called the 7/7 attacks in 2005. From the first scene, the film builds upon the uncertainty and promise of an explosive finale. Some of the acting felt clunky and the story felt really messy, there were too many elements that didn't totally make sense and not nearly enough pay off. Cordelia doesnt look as if she should be alone, and also, yes, this set-up is very much like that of Roman Polanskis 1965 catastrophic bad mood piece Repulsion.. According to Oscar Wilde, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness." Cinemark Families can talk about the portrayal of trauma and related mental health issues in Cordelia. So, it is fairly apparent that Quentin was Abilene's drug dealer, who just let her die because if she called 911, she would take Quentin's secret deal down with her. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. All rights reserved. She struggles to make even the slightest small-talk, her eyes almost hidden behind her bob of straight blonde hair. How Do I Protect My Young Child from Cyberbullying? As usual, the mother tries to have Cordelia talk to her father. Due to the quick recovery, the father is soon released from the hospital. But alas, its a present-day 'psychological thriller', whatever that means, which neither thrills nor offers any glittering aperus into the human psyche. Manage Settings While the actors brilliantly play against each other, giving us that oh-so-sweet taste of the erotic psychological thriller promised in that poster, the end simply fails them and fails the audience, too. July 11, 2020. Cordelia's ending requires achieving the requirements for the True Ending. Get a grip, lady! Yes? To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. It seems odd that the alien race chose to save Caleb and Abby and raise two strange human children, but it was so the human race could start again. Upon meeting Frank for an after-work drink, Cordelia stumbles across pictures hes taken of both her and Caroline from afar. It's Dione's birthday and following an afternoon rendezvous where their mother has offered to .