Now on VOD, The Scary of Sixty-First is directed by and stars Dasha Nekrosova, a multi-hyphenate filmmaker, podcaster (Red Scare) and actress (she played Comfry on Succession Season 3) who channels her obsession with the death of pedophile sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein into this doozy of a thriller. She plays a conspiracy theorist who wants to get into an apartment newly occupied by a mismatched pair of roommates, alleging the place was Epsteins orgy flophouse. So hey, I know yall just moved in, but maybe its time to break the lease?
The Gist: It needs plenty of bleach and Lysol, the layouts a bit funky, dead flowers have dropped petals atop a busted piano and theres a creepy ceiling mirror in the bedroom. Theyll take it! I mean, its a relatively roomy, shockingly affordable apartment on New York Citys Upper East Side, so youre gonna have to make some concessions. Maybe the claw marks in the drywall that appear to be from human hands, weird tarot cards left here and there and the ancient rotting hairy ham in the fridge mightve scared them away, but they dont notice that stuff until its too late. Isnt that how it always goes?
Regardless, Noelle (Madeline Quinn) and Addie (Betsey Brown) are going to make it work. Theyre not exactly the perfect roommates; Noelle is blunt and noncommittal, and Addie is kind of whiny and needy, and has a dorkus boyfriend, Greg (Mark H. Rapaport), but theyre not quite Felix and Oscar. Theyre not even unpacked before a woman who remains unnamed for the entire movie and is referred to in the credits as The Girl (Nekrosova) hits their door buzzer. Shes investigating Epsteins crimes and death of course, she doesnt believe he hanged himself in prison which led her to this apartment, where she claims he imprisoned and abused some of his victims. The Girl catches a glimpse of a blood stain on Noelles mattress, and immediately runs to the bathroom to puke.
Noelle and The Girl become fast friends. They hang out and take speed and tumble down Epstein-related internet rabbit holes. The Girl asks Noelle if shes heard of Pizzagate. Noelle tells her that Abbie has a lot of mental problems. Meanwhile, Abbie has a crazy dream and begins acting strangely. Theres a scene in which Noelle watches as The Girl appears to show her the joys of auto-erotic asphyxiation, although maybe shes researching what happens when a person tries to hang herself. And theres a scene in which Abbie awakens in the middle of the night and walks down the street to a building with the initials JE in the marble and brings herself to orgasm right there. Mental problems? Or some form of demonic possession? Who can tell?
What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Scary has grimy De Palma vibes (think maybe Phantom of the Paradise), a touch of verboten Verhoeven (Flesh+Blood, perhaps even his recent Benedetta) and Argento giallo (the score blatantly summons Goblin via Suspiria once or twice).
Performance Worth Watching: Shout out to Nekrosova for nearly choking herself out for the sake of her art!
Memorable Dialogue: Shes always been, like, into the U.K. Noelle comments on Addies new, very disturbing obsession with the Royal Family
Sex and Skin: A fair amount of creepy sexual ick, with plenty of female nudity.
Our Take: Sorry, but this ones a mess. Its easy to admire the small semblance of artistic intention we glean from Nekrosovas taboo-busting film, but far more difficult to appreciate The Scary of Sixty-First as it stands. She delivers a few moments of pitch-black comedy, and consistently maintains a deadpan tone, but thats about it. Its overall aesthetic is that of a no-budget indie that feels more amateurish than inspired. The cinematography is uncomfortably claustrophobic and disorienting, not for the sake of, say, creating a psychedelic experience; rather, we never get a decent sense of setting in the apartment, which is a key set piece, and the more the plot comes to a boil, the more the camera thrashes around.
The screenplay is underwritten, a flailing octopus of suggestion and provocation that were trying to catch with our bare hands. Nekrosova doesnt shy away from bodily fluids, which some may find repulsive. The acting and dialogue are uniformly cruddy. The characters are rendered disempathetic curiosities more than complex human beings. It took reading an interview with the filmmaker to understand that Addies lunatic behavior isnt an extension of her vaguely established mental problems a phrase deployed as a kind of anti-PC joke but a direct result of moving into the cursed apartment. And the third act builds to a wild, blood-soaked climax thats utterly incoherent. Whats the point of all this? The Epstein-pedophilia stuff, the disturbing psychosexual deliberations, the random bits of occult fodder, the conspiracy-theory ruminations? I havent a clue.
Our Call: SKIP IT. The Scary of Sixty-First is an undercooked thriller that seems like it has something to say, but never pulls itself together into something lucid and meaningful.
John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com.
Where to stream The Scary of Sixty-First
Originally posted here:
Stream It Or Skip It: The Scary of Sixty-First on VOD, a Taboo-Busting Throwback Thriller That Tackles Jeffrey Epstein Conspiracy Theories - Decider
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