Taking those beats chronicled by the Soska sisters, American Mary is markedly far from being just another horror movie ever made. It is a feature that heralds the debut of two bravely visionary directors in the genre-sisters-stan Jen and sylvia Soska.
The ‘Twisted Twins’ (as they prefer to be known as) came into the picture with a bang when they bust their labour in the Grindhouse textbook Dead Hooker in the Trunk, but their successor feature is better than everything that has ever been shot; this is a fun, though disquieting, and straightforward quest which challenges the viewers to think but does not reward their efforts with simplistic solutions.
Katherine Isabelle plays Mary Mason a medical student with surgical aspirations but whose circumstances are not very favourable for her dreams. However, a woman’s job is hard to come by in a recession. One day, she goes to the local bar saying she will take off all her clothes for money, which she gets there rather fast.
An unfortunate patron in a back-room job gives the opportunity to save the life and untangle the petty affairs for $5000. But Mary realizes that this is a new revenue for her and one which is ethically and morally wrong. The job? Showing unnatural plastic surgery and a body modification job to those who want to but can’t go to regular means.
And no sooner spoke the word dissatisfaction than business starts Incorporated. Mary assists one woman who wants to become a Betty Boop and another who aims to become a Barbie Doll. And just when things begin to get better for our heroine, Mary ends up being attacked by the very two whom she trusted most and everything shifts completely.
Mary decides to use the last skill for which a surgeon has monetary incentive chasing Mary’s maximum revenge for everything horrible she endured. It’s demanding, unsparing Czech Works but American Mary is not very much concerned about capturing the end product of the work carried out showing much of the pain and blood involved.
Despite its simplicity as a revenge flick, there is no shortage of material for reflection and discussion, this film situated somewhere in the spectrum between sustainability and radical feminism.
The focus is equally on the body mod movement, the author handling the topic with great care and respectful humor, which would have been the easy route for cheap gags. Certainly, Beartrice portrayed by Burlesque performer Tristan Risk is one of the most emotionally engaging character in this whole ‘bad girl trying to get the boy’ drama.
This film does have its highs and lows. Some of the dialogue is a little stilted and the second act fails to maintain the high standard of the first act. The change from eager aspiring film student to a ruthless assassin Mary is just too sudden and leaves you feeling that there should have been a gradual ‘creeping’ transition instead.
However, I remember avoiding all of these accusations of girl Alison myself when absorbing this facet of Mary Boast’s character. I mean, the actress is enacting Mary in such ways that no human disgust can be aroused despite the horrendous misdeeds of the character. It’s hard to imagine that anyone else other than Katherine Isabelle could have portrayed such a role as Mary so effectively. He is literally born to play the role and the part is handsomely accompanied by a perfect depiction of strength and intelligence and angst
One factor alone would be enough for this film to join the pedigree of a cult classic, but praise also goes to staging and shooting of the piece. The Soska’s strike most of the image and sound effects very well resulting into a unique feeling of the film even when the credits have rolled – An intangible feeling that can hardly be gotten rid of.
The ebullition of the film is the influences, at least as I suppose it was cut out in a pencil the sleeve contains all inclusives Audition and Dead Ringers up to TV’s Dexter. But this is no cheap panama or cover versions, the girls managing to balance respect for what has been happened so far and make new and original at the same time.
The rather rare phenomenon happens – the film is such that will equally entertain some, smart little others and even disgust the others. But now you are reading the text, wherever it comes from, American Mary must have that quality in it – address that to be impressive on severely morbid material and yes there is a point.
Any way you cut it this is however a brilliant debut for this voice in horror and I for one can’t wait to see what they will be doing next.
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