Pearl film review by Michael Errol Swaim

I’m always iffy when people say that a movie is good or bad and that I should watch it. I usually reserve my thoughts until I see it myself. Sometimes people will say, “Oh, this movie sucks!” and it turns out to be great. On the other hand, people will say they love a movie, and when I watch it, I hate it.

With so many good movies coming out recently, I keep falling behind. I meant to watch Pearl when it came out but never got around to it. I am a major procrastinator and have a terrible memory. It’s not that I didn’t want to, but I am so easily distracted it’s almost hilarious. Life happens, and I forget about stuff like movies I need to watch.

Luckily, I have friends to remind me about great movies I need to watch, and finally, I did manage to find the time to see what all the buzz was about Pearl. I was pleasantly surprised. I should have watched it sooner. I had never seen any of the films in the series, so I had no idea what I was getting into. But I had heard good things about the film and about its star, Mia Goth.

The intro reminded me of an old black and white movie, and it seemed like maybe it was going to turn out to be a love story. Boy, was I wrong.

I loved the setting, the music, and the whole look of the film. From beginning to end, it’s surprising, emotional, and thought provoking. It explores mental illness and the impact and actions that others have on it. It left me thinking about it long after I watched it.

Set in 1918, during the Spanish Flu pandemic at the end of World War 1, Pearl is about a woman on a slow descent into madness and depravity, trapped on a farm with her strict mother where she cares for her sick father. Her husband is overseas fighting and makes an appearance at the end of the film in a truly memorable scene.

The entire cast delivers an unforgettable performance. Especially Mia Goth and Mathew Sunderland, who stars as Pearl’s father. He plays an infirm who can’t move and yet is fully aware of his surroundings. He acts solely with his eyes and the rate of breathing, and yet conveys the terror he endures at Pearl’s outbursts brilliantly. They both capture different emotions each with a different style of acting and their performances are award worthy.

This was my first Ti West film, and you can bet I will be watching more. He perfectly captures Pearl’s journey through mental illness, all the way up to a murderous rampage. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and I’m happy when I watch gems like this that capture my attention from the beginning to the end. The cinematography was beautiful, and the filming locations reminded me of small-town Oklahoma, where I hail from, even though it was filmed in New Zealand.

The screenplay was perfect and well-written and the soundtrack in my opinion was another star of the show. It filled me with wonder and reminded me of old black and white films. The whimsical tunes blended well with the disturbing story.

Overall, Pearl was a wonderful film, and I wasn’t expecting it to be so good, which always makes me happy. If you haven’t seen it, even if you aren’t a horror fan, I highly recommend you do. You won’t regret it.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER:

Michael Errol Swaim is a horror and fantasy author and proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. He first picked up a pencil and began to write stories many moons ago before he was even born, and due to several mishaps, including a liver and kidney transplant, he stopped writing. After a 25-year hiatus, he has returned to doing what he loves most: writing. Michael focuses on horror but occasionally dabbles in fantasy and poetry. His first horror publication is in issue three of Carnage House, and his stories will appear in several upcoming anthologies. He also writes film and book reviews for the Weird Wide Web blog. Because he was such a weird kid, his parents dropped him off in the middle of a forest in Green Country, where a rabid squirrel raised him, and he eventually returned to civilization. He currently resides in Colcord, Oklahoma, with his wife, Mandy, his three kids, and his special princess, Wolfgirl the Cat.

He can be found at Facebook.com/michael.e.swaim