The Neon Demon

Parental Rating: R

Contains: Language    Nudity    Violence    Sex    Adult Content    

Jill's Review

Opens June 24, 2016

Runs 117 minutes

Jesse (Elle Fanning) is a 16 year-old aspiring model who has just moved to Los Angeles. She moves into a seedy motel in Pasadena run by a scummy hotel manager, played by Keanu Reeves. She goes out on casting calls and is immediately signed by top agent Roberta Hoffman (Christina Hendricks). Soon she is walking the runway for a famous designer and being photographed by Jack (Desmond Harrington), a much in demand photographer. She befriends Ruby (Jena Malone), a make-up artist for both living models and deceased corpses at the mortuary. The other models become increasingly jealous at how easily Jesse transforms into the new "IT" girll. Before long, they are plotting how they can get what she has at all costs.

I'm not sure how to rate this movie. I really liked the first hour. Then, it turned a little too absurd/weird for me. Jena Malone is creepy good in her role. She seems like she is being helpful and nice until she is spurned. Wow - watch out for her. And, Elle Fanning is just perfect as the young ingenue. She plays naive and innocent to perfection. But, as she comes to understand her beauty, she really turns it on. She can slightly smile/smirk with the best of them. She was just ravishing. Everyone was, actually. Even Keanu Reeves was really strong - in fact, I thought he was great in this small part. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (Only God Forgives, Drive) this movie covers several genres. Drama, thriller and then horror. Once the horror starts, it becomes just a little too much. If you like movies that push the boundaries and are hard to define, then this might be for you. But, it is not for the faint of heart or the weak of stomach - Ha! I liked it in parts but I didn't like the final third of the film. So, you will have to decide for yourself. If you are a fan of the director or Elle Fanning or if you like creepy (gory, disgusting and explicit) horror films, then this might be right up your alley.

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