Eileen
During a bitter 1964 Massachusetts winter, young secretary Eileen becomes enchanted by Rebecca, the glamorous new counselor at the prison where she works. Their budding friendship takes a twisted turn when Rebecca reveals a dark secret — throwing Eileen onto a sinister path.
- Released: 2023-01-21
- Runtime: 98 minutes
- Genre: Crime, Drama, Thrillers
- Stars: Tonye Patano, Marin Ireland, Julian Gavilanes, Anne Hathaway, Jefferson White, Mark Havlis, Shea Whigham, Owen Teague, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Thomasin McKenzie, Lauren Yaffe, Mason Pettograsso, Myra Thibault, Sam Nivola, William Hill, Patrick Noonan, Matt Berman
- Director: William Oldroyd
Comments
- hasanozsoy - 11 June 2024
A Promising Start Derailed by a Disappointing and Sensationalist Ending
"Eileen" ended with such a nonsensical twist that it left me bewildered. While the film started off promising, the development and conclusion were utterly disappointing. It felt like the story was meandering without a clear direction, leading to a finale that lacked coherence and impact. The forced inclusion of a gay love subplot seemed like an attempt to shock rather than a natural progression of the storyline.
In the beginning, I was intrigued by the mysterious atmosphere and the potential for a gripping psychological thriller. However, as the narrative progressed, it became evident that the plot was convoluted and the characters' motivations were unclear. The relationship dynamics felt contrived, making it difficult to invest emotionally in their outcomes.
The ending, in particular, felt like a betrayal of the film's initial promise. Instead of providing a satisfying resolution, it left many questions unanswered and relied on sensationalism rather than substance. The inclusion of the gay love concept felt more like a last-minute addition to generate controversy rather than an integral part of the story.
In summary, "Eileen" started with promise but quickly devolved into a disappointing mess. The development was lackluster, and the forced subplot did not add any meaningful depth. It's a film that ultimately fails to deliver a cohesive and compelling narrative. - reddiemurf81 - 13 May 2024
I live a little differently than most people.
Eileen (McKenzie) is a lonely young woman who works as a secretary/aide at the local juvenile detention center.
She left college to help to care of her mother who'd fallen ill, and later died from said illness.
Her father (Shea Wigham) is a retired police officer, who spends his retirement drinking himself into an early grave.
Eileen longs for connection and friendship, and often spends spare time parked by the lake, watching couples make out/etc, using this as a mastabatory aide.
One day at work, Eileen meets the new Juvie Prison Psychologist, Rebecca (Hathaway).
The two develop a work friendship, that eventually leads to outside work, and turns both of their worlds upside down.
For starters, the trailer for this movie is deceptive. Just so ya know. It does not go the way you think it will. Now, that can be a great thing for movies to do,, but it doesn't really work in this movie.
Hathaway & McKenzie work together very well, and really are a joy to see onscreen together. That being said, they are the only real good part of this movie, and the only reason I'm giving at a 4 rating instead of lower.
The last 20 mins or so of the film go to a very disturbing place, and then the end just doesn't really fit. It's kind of a mess of an ending, actually. I was left thinking, "for real? That's how this ends?"
If you want to see a blonde Hathaway being a powerhouse of a mysterious kind of seductive character (to a certain extent, at least), and McKenzie showing how good she can be, even at her young age (she was sooo good in Jojo Rabbit, wasn't she), then yes. Go ahead and watch. That part is good. However, the movie as a whole? Not so much imo. - evening1 - 22 March 2024
A title as dull as the plot is outlandish
Anne Hathaway wastes her talents here as a prison psychologist who tries to seduce a secretary. Just as she seems likely to succeed, Dr. Rebecca goes wildly rogue, kidnapping an inmate's mother, who the secretary (Eileen) shoots in the chest because "I was upset." Er, OK, all in a day's work at your local lockup.
To all this we add an improbably happy ending for Eileen (Thomasin McKenzie), who flees in a 16-wheeler. Rebecca's fate is unclear -- she's missing from the movie's denouement. Maybe Ms. Hathaway had enough of this turkey, and absconded from the set.
The movie wastes a lot of time in unnecessary friction between Eileen and her abusive, alcoholic dad. At one point, it looks like Rebecca and Eileen might try to frame him for the murder, but that idea is dropped sans explanation, and the body apparently gets dumped in the woods.
The murder in this film is gruesomely reminiscent of a killing in the vastly more worthy "Army of Shadows," of 1969.
I wouldn't have known about "Eileen" if not for a screening at a branch of the New York Public Library. In addition to three women who showed up, one guy was in the audience, and he walked out about a-third of the way in.
