Let’s talk about Greta.
Please be aware, there are SPOILERS, but none that would
spoil the film.
Earlier this year it seemed that a new trend in psychological
thrillers was starting, one involving older women as the villain, the threat
but after ‘Ma’ and ‘Greta’, the trend died down. Unlike the former, ‘Greta’ had
something different to bring to the horror/ psychological thriller border, it’s
all about the women and barely a man in sight.
For those who didn’t watch any of the trailers out there for
the film and for those who didn’t see it at all, ‘Greta’ is about a young woman,
Frances, who has recently lost her mother and moved to the city to be away from
her father who doesn’t show much interest in her. While she stays with her best
friend and works as a waitress in a fancy restaurant, she feels as if she’s
missing something. This is when she finds a small green handbag and does the
opposite of what any old city dweller would do, she decides to take it to back
to the owner in person. She meets Greta, a widow, living a quiet lonely existence
and who appreciates the kind gesture. The two soon becoming friends, giving
what the other seeks, comfort. But with all too good to be true happy coincidences,
Frances discovers that Greta actually has lots of small green handbags, each with
names and numbers on them as well as fresh ones just waiting to be left around
the city.
This isn’t just your basic lonely lady turns stalker
thriller horror, there is thought behind the divinely simplistic plot and the
three main character triangle. In any other story, there would be a lame half
constructed love story somewhere buried and in another type of story, there
would a sexual element, especially if Greta was switched for male character
instead. But these twists and turns aren’t needed in Neil Jordan’s film, he has
two leads and one supporting that make their own impact on screen. Suspense and
intrigue are still part of the story, with information about Greta’s past
coming to light little by little and it’s not a completely unbelievable one
either. She had a ‘difficult’ relationship with her daughter who is now dead so
the information is second hand, adding more to the suspense and mystery of what
Greta is really capable of and as Greta’s crazy outbursts get worse, you really
don’t want to know what she will do, you would think that was enough to never
go back to her house again, but Frances doesn’t stop to think about this.
With Isabelle Huppert as Greta, the mystery and charm that
surrounds the character is already built into her persona. Making Greta a piano
teacher was also an excellent touch as not only could it be a nod to one of her
most famous films but piano is and will always be seen as something you must
control. Greta wants to be a mother to Frances but she wants everything her
way, she must have ultimate control, much like the piano teacher. Chloe Grace
Moretz as Frances is probably having the thankless role in the story, as the
kind of person who still holds small town ideals and believes that you can be
kind to everyone. Selfishly, she does want a mother figure to be around as she
misses that connection but in doing so, she ignores her friend’s very open and
obvious warnings. But her role is thankless because she is the victim caught in
Greta’s web of madness so has to act accordingly. The ace in the pocket of the
film is Erica, Maika Monroe, who continues her scream queen status (sort of).
She is the voice of reason, be it from a wealthy family who lives in an amazing
loft apartment in New York. She is meant to be the rich clueless party going
background noise to Frances’ kind simple values and quiet demeanour, but
instead she is the third piece in the character triangle. Refreshingly, Erica
takes the place of the ‘love interest’ and is the best friend/roommate/street
wise New Yorker who doesn’t hold a grudge and doesn’t let arguments with
friends be the end of the conversation, she is the saviour. But the best part
of this whole film is that because it’s a very simple plot, with characters that
have very obvious motives (to an extent) everything is accepted. There is very
little to question apart from why is Frances’ dad so useless and why was
Stephen Rea even in the film? Which again, is something so rarely thought about
with this type of genre film. The threat of Greta is something to be feared but
if you have friends like Erica, they have your back.
Its time to take another look at ‘Greta’ and appreciate what
she is.