The Killing of a Sacred Deer

 

The Killing of a Sacred Deer 2017

• Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
• Seen by this director: The Favourite, Dogtooth
• Based on book: no
• Cast: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan, Alicia Silverstone, Sunny Suljic, Raffey Cassidy
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Colin Farrell – The Gentlemen, Widows, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Winter’s Tale, Total Recall, Fright Night, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, In Bruges, Intermission, Daredevil
• Nicole Kidman – Big Little Lies, Destroyer, Top of the Lake, Lion, Genius, Queen of the Desert, Strangerland, Before I Go to Sleep, The Others, The Railway Man, Rabbit Hole, Nine, Australia, The Golden Compass, Fur, The Interpreter, Birth, Cold Mountain, The Human Stain, The Hours, Dogville, The Birthday Girls, Moulin Rouge, Eyes Wide Shut, Practical Magic, Billy Bathgate
• Barry Keoghan – Dunkirk
• Sunny Suljic – Mid-90s, Don’t Worry He Won’t Get Far on Foot
• Raffey Cassidy – Tomorrowland a World Beyond, Dark Shadows
• Why? Kidman, Farrell, the title.
• Seen: 27 November 2022      

       Steven (Farrell) is a cardiac surgeon. Anna (Kidman) is an ophthalmologist. They have two children, Kim (Cassidy) and Bob (Suljic). Steven has befriended a boy Martin (Keoghan) and takes him home to meet the family.

       It has an odd feeling, with a stilted formal dialog, but then I see that it’s the same director as Dogtooth which is Weird Film Number 1. If I remember correctly I gave it 1*/5* because I couldn’t decide if I loved it or hated it.

       Here there is a constant sense of impending danger, accentuated by heavy dramatic music.

       It’s horrible and utterly fascinating. It’s definitely not a 1* film. Could it possibly be a 5* film? Possibly. Very possibly. What else could I give it? What would I possibly want to change or make different? Oh yes, I would delete the pervy and unnecessary sex scenes.

       So. 

4 ½ * of 5