While this film wasn't a box office smash, it isn't too difficult to see why critics were enamored with Cody Finley's directorial debut. The name of course derives from the breed of horse that is actually shown in the film's opening scene.
The plot is pretty straightforward as it follows the troubled Amanda who comes to stay with her wealthy friend, Lily. However Amanda's sociopathic nature begins to spill over to her friend once Amanda learns of Lily's hatred of her stepfather (who is responsible for the wealth Lily enjoys). From there the girls hatch a dark plot and enlist the help of hapless loser, Tim, to assist them.
As the two female leads, actresses Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy are an interesting pair to watch. Cooke as Amanda nails the deadpan delivery of her lines as her detached attitude oozes from every pore. Amanda is a vast contrast to the initially upbeat Lily; one of her darker stories relates to the opening scene of the film involving the Thoroughbred horse. Taylor-Joy is a more upbeat girl compared to her reserved attitude in 2017's "Split". Lily is meant to be a positive influence on the troubled Amanda, but even Lily can't break through the manipulative shell of Cooke and is eventually pulled to the dark side. Lily is the one who thinks of getting someone else to do her dirty work which ends up not working out how she had hoped.
A brief note on the character of Tim who is wonderfully played by the late Anton Yelchin in his final role. We never learn where Tim is from, but his air of mystery makes him a shady figure. While Tim is not a wanton malicious boy (unlike Amanda and eventually Lily), he is desperate to please the girls in order to get his financial reward. However when the time comes to commit an ugly crime, the scared teenager's conscience compels him to make the proper choice.
The film is a short little outing that might turn some viewers off as it rattles off its story pretty quick. This should not be a detriment though as the story is relatable in a sense to troubled teens, but don't go around doing terrible deeds like Amanda and Lily.
The plot is pretty straightforward as it follows the troubled Amanda who comes to stay with her wealthy friend, Lily. However Amanda's sociopathic nature begins to spill over to her friend once Amanda learns of Lily's hatred of her stepfather (who is responsible for the wealth Lily enjoys). From there the girls hatch a dark plot and enlist the help of hapless loser, Tim, to assist them.
As the two female leads, actresses Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy are an interesting pair to watch. Cooke as Amanda nails the deadpan delivery of her lines as her detached attitude oozes from every pore. Amanda is a vast contrast to the initially upbeat Lily; one of her darker stories relates to the opening scene of the film involving the Thoroughbred horse. Taylor-Joy is a more upbeat girl compared to her reserved attitude in 2017's "Split". Lily is meant to be a positive influence on the troubled Amanda, but even Lily can't break through the manipulative shell of Cooke and is eventually pulled to the dark side. Lily is the one who thinks of getting someone else to do her dirty work which ends up not working out how she had hoped.
A brief note on the character of Tim who is wonderfully played by the late Anton Yelchin in his final role. We never learn where Tim is from, but his air of mystery makes him a shady figure. While Tim is not a wanton malicious boy (unlike Amanda and eventually Lily), he is desperate to please the girls in order to get his financial reward. However when the time comes to commit an ugly crime, the scared teenager's conscience compels him to make the proper choice.
The film is a short little outing that might turn some viewers off as it rattles off its story pretty quick. This should not be a detriment though as the story is relatable in a sense to troubled teens, but don't go around doing terrible deeds like Amanda and Lily.
