Feminist Fear Freak: We Are What We Are

Another film that was not what I was expecting. I love it when that happens. This film is a slow burn from start to finish, punctuated by stunning cinematography and a deep sense of dread.

The film centers on two sisters, Iris and Rose, whose family has a dark tradition. They are deeply religious, compulsively sheltered children, who live seemingly outside of time in a small, rainy rural community with their parents and their little brother. When their mother dies, it falls on them to carry on their age-old family tradition: cannibalism.

This film has a long, slow descent, with minimal but heart-stopping gore. But it's the quiet moments which are the most unsettling. I have never felt so sick watching people eat soup. Food of all sorts is highlighted in the film, to the point where you won't want dinner after watching it.

The film is fascinating with the innocence it portrays as these young girls begin to become complicit in their horrific family practices. While the backstory itself is somewhat weak, the criticism of fundamentalism is stunning. These are deeply religious people, and they are doing what they believe God has told them. The swirl of innocence and brutality is mesmerizing and nauseating.

As far as it's feminist aspects, this film is mixed. It focuses on a domineering, abusive, evil father who is sure of his holy-ness. But it also focuses on the girls, on their moral quandries, their lives and their budding senses of self. It shows girls who are unsure of themselves, who question their actions, who desire and plot for a life outside of their father's influence. On the other hand, the minority representation in this film is truly abysmal. There simply are no people of color in the film. Given it's setting, this is not terribly surprising, but since it's based on a Mexican film of the same name, I'm not sure it's fair to let it off the hook on this one.

With a good score and a stunning cast, this is definitely worth seeing. In particular, Julia Garner seems like an actress to watch, after seeing her in this as well as Martha Marcy May Marlene, Electrick Children, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Even though this soon after watching the film I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, I take that as a good sign. And sometime soon, I hope to get ahold of the original Mexican film, which is supposed to be quite different and quite phenomenal.

Entertaining