Director Peter Strickland doesn’t usually adhere to cinematic conventions. His films (especially “The Duke of Burgundy”) can easily isolate the viewer into submission, but critics have embraced his cryptic but surreal cinematic style. “In Fabric” (12.7.19) is Strickland’s attempt at tackling the horror genre. Of course, this isn’t your typical ghost story, at every turn, the film tries to subvert our expectations, to the point where we have absolutely no idea what to expect next. This surreal dive into the unknown has a creepy department store selling a cursed killer dress to a woman (Marianne Jean-Baptise), which ends up being passed on from person to person, with devastating consequences. Despite indelible moments of sheer terror, especially when Strickland deals with the body-horror, this attempt at “indie horror” felt like a non-starter to me. The film overstays its welcome, as it starts to feel like a one-note joke stretched into a ballooned 118-minute runtime. [C+]
“In Fabric” world premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival back in September of 2018 (84 on Metacritic). More than 16 months later and Strickland’s film is finally being released this Friday by A24.
The image shows the Maras’ Jean and Joan in the infamous cave, which plays a central role in their search for an imaginary land where true love is possible.