Written & Directed by
Jen and Sylvia Soska
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1959332/
A few years back twin
terrors Jen and Sylvia Soska announced their arrival to the
filmmaking world with their action packed, gore streaked exploitation
flick Dead Hooker In A Trunk. Their
debut developed a following in the underground due to the twins
ability to craft funny engaging characters and take-no-prisoners
attitude towards violence and mayhem. Their follow up American Mary
doesn't walk through the door their debut opened-it bursts through
the wall Kool-Aid Man style shouting 'Oh Yeah!' at top of its lungs
in order to let the horror community know that there's a new pair of
voices in town that are going to be reckoned with for years to come.
Impoverished
medical student Mary Mason (Katherine Isabelle) walks a tightrope
that finds her trying to balance her natural genius at surgery
against her tendency to zone out on lectures led by her domineering
professor (David Lovgren) and a bleak financial situation that finds
her days away from having her student aid shut off. A need for quick
cash leads Mary to the office of Billy (Anthony Cupo), a low level
criminal and strip club owner when circumstances shift unexpectedly
and her talents with a scalpel take precedent over her ability to
show off her gams.
Word
of Mary's talent (and discretion) spread. She's soon called upon by
Beatrice (Tristan Risk), a dancer at Billy's club who has undergone
multiple surgeries designed to make her look like Betty Boop.
Beatrice pays Mary to remove a friend's feminine parts, as the young
woman wishes to become a living Barbie Doll so that men will stop
sexualizing and fetishizing her. Word of Mary's remarkable places her
in high demand, while a horrifying and sickening act leaves Mary
little choice but to leave the respected medical world and
concentrate her skills in the field of body modification.
The
Soska's sophomore effort represents a startling effort in their
storytelling and eye towards detail. Colors are vibrant with multiple
nods to Argento in the way that Isabelle paints her surroundings and
even her own flesh in deep hues of red. The ladies knack for small
character building moments is on full display here as each of the
players exhibit quirks and foibles that lift them far above one note
stereotypes.
An
example of this leap forward can be found in a moment remarkably
similar to a key scene in Dead Hooker which
finds Mary gearing up to operate on someone as a means for revenge.
Both scenes make perfect use of music to set the stage. While the
former movie used a bit of Beach Boys inspired pop to accentuate the
onscreen carnage, the Soskas opt for a sumptuous jazz number this
time around. Isabelle takes her precious time sauntering to the
operating table while allowing the camera to drink up every inch of
her before describing in intricate detail the many ways she plans to
right the wrong her victim inflicted on her earlier. The Soskas allow
the foreplay to build to its boiling point then cut away before a
knife ever sinks in to flesh. The message is clear-they know what
audiences expect and even demand, but the directors will be damned if
their going to play by any rules besides their own.
American Mary makes
sly social commentary without brow beating the audience. As the film
unspools you come to understand the “normals” are the ones with
callous disdain for anything aside their own agenda while Mary comes
to find her own “family” within the world of freaks and
criminals. American Mary peels
back the superficial layer with which most would judge the people
into the modification practice and instead delves into how the act
empowers them to feel comfortable within their own skin or ever
express a deep love and affection they would not have the capability
to do otherwise. There's no better example of this than Risk's
Beatrice. Upon her introduction it's easy to see her as a sideshow
oddity and dismiss her as deranged. Yet there might not be a
character as strong or comfortable in her own skin than Beatrice, and
there's certainly no one more loyal to or grateful towards her
friends than the young woman.
There's
not enough positives to be written about Katherine Isabelle's
stunning performance. Early scenes showcase her comic timing with
light banter and tone. Make no mistake, despite the seedy terrain the
film travels, it's downright funny even at the most inappropriate
moments. When events pull the rug out from under the audience and
shift the tone to comedic and quirky to sinister and disturbing,
Isabelle is more than up to the challenge of shifting gears. As her
surgical skill improves her ability to connect with another living
soul recedes. Isabelle needs nothing more than the steely look in her
eyes to convey how she sees her people as a riddle to crack via the
precise nature of her delicate operations. Yet even in her darkest
moments, Isabelle elicits sympathy for her performance. Towards the
end of the film when she asks “Do you think I'm crazy?” you just
want to reach into the screen, pull her close and tell her yes she
is, but it couldn't have turned out any other way.
American Mary represents
a stunning vision and one of the most original genre films of the
year. Delivered without compromise by a pair of fresh independent
American Mary provides
a cure all for horror fans burned by the cynical assembly line studio
system that sees risk only in terms of the negative. It's the final result of two film makers trusting that their instincts and vision can create a singular, unique and beautiful final result.
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