VIOLENT FEMMES
Is it Showgirls for musicians? A bloody creature feature? The Perfection (on Netflix from Fri., May 24) stars Allison Williams and Logan Browning, who play rival cellists and tell us what it was like to make the creepy, twisty thriller that defies categorisation.
This movie’s so wild. What spoke to you about the script?
ALLISON WILLIAMS If you stopped the movie every 20 minutes and were asked what it’s about or what you think’s happening, you’d be wrong until it’s over.
LOGAN BROWNING You almost forget the other insane things that happen [earlier in the film], because it’s packed with so many other twists. The unorthodox structure certainly reflects the film’s themes.
WILLIAMS Anything heavy is handled in a confusing way, because nothing in life happens that tidily. We tap into a world that’s familiar to everyone; under the surface, there’s more than meets the eye. The movie deals with a world in which people masquerade as one thing to continue living another life, so it – even in terms of genre and aesthetic – puts on different masks. BROWNING It welcomes an audience coming for a specific kind of [genre] movie, but they have no idea what’s really in store. But they’re still enjoying what they did come for.
What was it like learning to play the cello? WILLIAMS We spent a lot of time practising, even when we weren’t shooting. A couple of months. Was it tougher than preparing to commit violence?
WILLIAMS A thousand times more difficult! BROWNING Aren’t we all equipped with being a violent human?
WILLIAMS We’re all capable of violence; we aren’t all cellists!
The music was also the soundtrack to a sex scene. Who knew cellos could be erotic? WILLIAMS There’s something sensual about the way a cello looks: the shape, the way it’s held … Apparently, the instrumental sound is the closest to the human voice. It’s an intimate experience, playing a cello duet with someone. You have to be in sync. Even the way your bodies are – open yet wrapped around something.
How important was it that the sex scene not be exploitative?
WILLIAMS We were careful to make it an expression and release [tied to the] character. I’ve done more sex scenes with [director] Richard [Shepard] than I can count. [They previously paired on HBO’s Girls.] I knew he’d handle it well. It was fun, easy and funny to film. And nice to be like, “[Logan and I] are both wearing the same nudity covering!”
BROWNING It’s not gratuitous! It’s beautiful and refreshing, the way it cuts back and forth between the cello performance. I could watch it as a short, on its own.
What was it like filming that scene? WILLIAMS Sex scenes are always funny! The craziest s--t happens. Everyone’s pretending they’re fine, and no-one’s fine. I mean, it’s just bodies near each other; things slip off, or you hit a boom operator with a leg.
BROWNING The room had a pane of glass windows, and we were like, “Are these tinted?” WILLIAMS We were undressed, sitting in the window. I was like, “Can we get confirmation there aren’t people posting up in their offices, turning the lights off and watching the sex scene? Because, if so, we should perform for them as well, in the round!”