A tale that’s pleasingly creepy
Greta (out of 4) Starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Isabelle Huppert. Co-written and directed by Neil Jordan. 98 minutes. Opens Friday in GTA theatres. 14A
Of all the hazards one has been led to expect to encounter in the Big Bad Apple, a designer handbag on a subway is not exactly near the top of the list.
So it’s certainly understandable that the find does not set off alarm bells for young Frances McCullen (Chloe Grace Moretz). After all, it doesn’t blow up or emit a toxic substance when she picks it up. And after finding the lost-and-found of- fice closed (indefinitely, by the looks of it), Frances decides to return the handbag to its owner, who has considerately left her name and home address inside, along with an enticing amount of cash.
Frances isn’t the kind of person who would heed the advice of roommate/BFF Erica and keep the cash and possibly regift the handbag to a less fabulous friend. The road to Hades is paved with good intentions, as Frances is about to find out.
Greta, an elegant older woman who’s widowed, is more than delighted at having her bag returned and welcomes Frances into her quaint mews-like home and into her heart. It’s clear Greta is rather lonely, and Frances is initially happy to fill the void left by the daughter who’s far away — possibly in Paris — until gentle disquiet turns to fear. It seems that Greta collects more than elegant handbags.
Director Neil Jordan, who coauthored the screenplay, has had an eclectic career of hits ( The Crying Game in 1992, for example) and some forgettable misses. But he demonstrates a sure hand here, first in casting the luminous Isabelle Huppert in the role of Greta.
Huppert’s performance is wonderfully conceived. She seems so warm, friendly and supportive initially until the fissures begin to appear in her carefully constructed veneer before one sees the monster peaking out from behind the cultured and stylish mask. It’s really quite unsettling.
Chloe Grace Moretz acquits herself reasonably well in the role of Frances, though her naiveté and general helplessness do get a bit wearing. Maika Monroe as roomie Erica is actually a lot livelier and much more fun to watch on screen. Colm Feore plays Frances’ doting but ineffectual dad with his usual aplomb. (The movie was filmed in Toronto.)
Jordan does a fine job building the tension and dread throughout, never overreaching into melodrama, while allowing Huppert to morph in stages from elegant older woman into unhinged virago. With a scary and satisfying conclusion, it’s a pleasingly creepy journey.