Posted at 7:30 a.m.
Featured at South by Southwest and Fantasia, onesies onesies onesies is like an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery party for the Instagram generation. A verbose film set in an inescapable place – here an isolated house – and which uses modern technology to frighten and define the relationships between individuals.
As always in this type of story, appearances should not be trusted. The first part, which takes a long time to get going, introduces its characters, each more annoying than the other. Walking stereotypes of twenty-somethings who only think about sex, drugs and partying. Obviously, nothing should be taken at face value, and these beings become more and more profound, complex and human as the dramas follow one another.
It begins when they begin to play the “body body” of the title, while a fake killer “kills” someone by tapping him on the shoulder. The feature film can then begin and it turns out to be devilishly entertaining, holding your breath with its false leads while being hilarious at times with its games of massacre.
That doesn’t stop Sarah DeLappe’s writing from feeling weak and labored in its approach to group relationships and young adult anxieties, wallowing in those very clichés she wanted to avoid. A false step that redeems the great talent of the actresses, Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give) and Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) on your mind.
Halina Reijn’s assured direction also brings a lot to the work, dynamiting dead moments while making those that take place in the dark thrilling. This is possible by being well surrounded, in particular by Jasper Wolf (Monos) to the cinematographer, and entrusting the soundtrack to Disasterpeace (Richard Vreeland), best known for his unforgettable contribution to ItFollows.
While he could have been scream of its time (its delicious final surprise is particularly ingenious), onesies onesies onesies takes a more chaotic path which may not be unanimous, but which clashes in the cinematographic landscape.
horror comedy
onesies onesies onesies
Halina Reijn
With Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Rachel Sennott
1:35 a.m.
Indoors