Thoroughbreds (2018) Review

"You ever think about just killing him?"
- Amanda



Amanda (Olivia Cooke) is a sociopath.  She doesn't have any feelings.  Her former best friend, Lily,  (Anya Taylor-Joy), who feels too much,  agrees to tutor her.  It's awkward at first, but they eventually renew their friendship.  Lily hates her stepfather, Mark (Paul Sparks), so Amanda suggests killing him.  They decide to blackmail Tim, a local drug dealer (Anton Yelchin), into killing Mark, but things don't go according to plan and their lives begin to spiral out of control.


What Works:

Thoroughbreds is f**king hilarious.  The dialogue in the movie is so sharp, particularly from Olivia Cooke.  Her deadpan, emotionless humor is the highlight of the movie and her performance is simply delightful.  But both Anya Taylor-Joy and the late Anton Yelchin have their moments as well, and although the subject matter is very dark, the writing and the performances make it hilarious.

The other part of this movie I love is the story.  It's not just about the plot to murder Mark.  It's also about trying to figure out who the real monster is.  The movie is very good at shifting who we should like and dislike, and your feelings about certain characters may shift dramatically by the end.  It's very well written in this capacity.


What Sucks:

I don't really have anything.  


Verdict:

Thoroughbreds is dark and hilarious film and I would highly recommend it.  I can't quite give it a perfect score, as it never hits that highest high note.  But I can't think of any flaws, so I can say with certainty that Thoroughbreds has got it going on.

 9/10: Great 



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