‘Magpie’ Assessment — Neglect Star Wars, This Is Daisy Ridley At Her Greatest

There may be nothing fairly as enjoyable as seeing a proficient performer actually go for it. Once they’re as nice as Daisy Ridley and given the room to work, all bets are off. Magpie triumphantly showcases this, as she provides certainly one of her greatest performances to this point. Certain, there was the underrated Generally I Suppose About Dying from earlier this yr, and the primary two entries within the Star Wars trilogy she helmed weren’t too unhealthy. Nevertheless, nothing has seen her get to flex her appearing muscle tissues fairly like what she has carried out right here in full synchronicity with director Sam Yates in addition to author Tom Bateman, Ridley’s husband and collaborator.

A thriller that begins solidly sufficient and picks up steam earlier than blowing the doorways off with an excellent ending, Magpie is a kind of uncommon movies that feels each contemporary and alive whereas constructing off basic style works of the previous. Greater than something, it cements Ridley as a display presence with out evaluate, as she makes a meal of this darkish madcap of a film that every one rides on her shoulders. Who even actually wants Star Wars, anyway?

What Is ‘Magpie’ About?

The movie opens with a shot of the loving although lonely matriarch Anette (Ridley) as she helps her daughter Matilda (Hiba Ahmed) seemingly put together for an audition for an element in an enormous historic drama film. This can be a scene whose framing shall be mirrored ever so barely within the story’s pleasant finish, however, earlier than the movie reaches that time, there’s a lengthy street that hurtles by the chaos of an unbalanced marriage first. Regardless of Anette being there whereas her husband Ben (Shazad Latif) stays distant, he will get to swoop in for the celebration when Matilda will get the half.

As a substitute, Anette is tasked with caring for his or her new child child, who appears to by no means cease crying, alone. That is merely the start of how Ben is ineffective at greatest and merciless at worst. Regardless of placing her life on maintain for his writing profession, which has seemingly stalled, he doesn’t appear to care within the slightest about Anette and what she needs for her future. When he begins to journey to the set with Matilda, he strikes up what shortly turns into a relationship with a well-known actress, Alicia (Matilda Lutz), which teeters on the sting of infidelity. Oh, and he or she occurs to be enjoying Matilda’s mom. If this sounds messy, simply wait: that is merely the primary course of what Magpie has in retailer. What that entails requires being coy, as it could be a criminal offense to even trace at what it’s that that is all constructing to and spoil all of the enjoyable available.

When Anette begins to piece collectively what’s going on, the movie shifts into being a darkish delight of a thriller that, whereas not wholly shocking for these aware of how these tales typically go, is spectacular all the identical. Most significantly, it sees Ridley giving a efficiency that’s so devilishly well-calibrated and playful that you simply simply can’t assist however smile as Magpie takes rising leaps whereas she stays grounded in her full command of the character. Each sly change in expression or slicing line is akin to executing a highwire act with out lacking a single step. The way in which Ridley can flip even the most straightforward of her line deliveries into a chance for a devastating teardown of the husband Anette is saddled with is a pleasure. Each time she is on-screen, there isn’t a second the place you aren’t utterly swept up in it.

Whereas credit score have to be given to Bateman for the movie’s completely prickly dialogue and Yates for setting up scenes for max influence, Ridley absolutely embracing each scene she has makes all of it work. The exact approach her character goes from embodying silent rage whereas standing alone in entrance of a mirror, a recurrent visible motif that more and more performs up the movie’s darkish humor, to a steely dedication to show the tables on her husband is simply good enjoyable.

‘Magpie’ Builds to a Magnificent Ending

Even when Magpie begins to really feel like it’s coming a bit too near enjoying some acquainted notes within the center, any remaining doubts are utterly thrown out the window when all of the playing cards are laid on the desk. Not solely does the movie serve up a scrumptious ultimate course that ties all the things collectively completely, however it additionally provides Ridley an amazing closing scene. Whereas it might have used a couple of extra moments prefer it scattered all through, that may be a passing trifle when the ultimate minutes are utterly and totally terrific.

By way of all of it, Ridley brings the appropriate depth, emotion, and humor to each state of affairs. What might be dismissed as only a disposable, trashy thriller is so well-constructed and acted that you simply’re utterly gained over. No matter Ridley needs to do subsequent, let this be proof that she ought to be capable of do it. There could also be extra of that aforementioned area franchise in her future, however let that by no means crowd out the prospect for her to do extra tasks like Magpie. When Ridley is given the prospect to carry a movie like this in her fingers, all of it flies excessive.

Magpie (2024)

REVIEW

Magpie is a spectacular showcase for Daisy Ridley that begins solidly sufficient earlier than blowing the doorways off in a powerful conclusion.

A pair discover their lives turned the wrong way up when their daughter is forged alongside a controversial main star.

Execs

• Daisy Ridley provides certainly one of her greatest performances to this point, capturing each second that the movie requires with ease.
• The movie’s strains are so completely prickly and well-delivered that they land with most influence.
• The story culminates in an amazing ending that offers one final probability for Ridley to make a meal of the film.

Cons

• There are some moments within the center that come near falling into repetition.

Magpie had its World Premiere on the 2024 SXSW Movie & TV Pageant.