"Eileen"

 2023 * R * 1h 37m If you like slow burning, tense, creepy movies, you're in luck. I wasn't sure what to expect with "Eileen" but I really enjoyed it. If you can use the word "enjoy" with a film like this. 

The movie stars the young and talented Kiwi actor Thomasin McKenzie, who I thought shined in the sleeper movie "Leave No Trace." If you haven't seen it, it's a film worth looking for.  Here she plays Eileen Dunlop, a secretary who works at the men's prison in a small town in Massachusetts in 1964. The film does a perfect job of setting the scene for the era, and the cinematography gives it a depressing, bleak look and feel. Eileen has a dead-end job, and her home life is no better. She lives with her dad, a retired cop who spends his days drinking himself into a stupor. 

One day a glamorous doctor Rebecca (Anne Hathaway), shows up. She's a brilliant woman, determined to use her psychological training to help the inmates at the prison. To say Eileen is smitten is an understatement. She practically worships the ground she walks on. And the two strike up a friendship that appears to be heading in a carnal direction. Until...

I'm definitely not going to reveal what happens next. Let's just say, I never saw it coming. It was quite a shocker. The plot twists will keep you hanging on and guessing right until the end. Speaking of the which, that's the one problem I had with the film. I thought the resolution was a bit weak--the writers could have done better. But overall, the film was definitely worth watching. Especially to see the performances from the two leads. 

3.5 out of 5 stars. 

Currently streaming for free on Kanopy (with your library card) and Hulu. And to rent on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and other services.