Queen of Earth

Stars: Elisabeth Moss, Katherine Waterston, Patrick Fugit, Kentucker Audley

Director: Alex Ross Perry

Dumped by her boyfriend (Audley) and grief-stricken over the suicide of her sculptor father, Catherine (Moss) goes to stay at the lakeside retreat of her friend Virginia (Waterston), although goodness knows why, since, just as in the previous year, the confrontational, short-tempered pair are constantly at each other's throats.

Matters aren't helped by the sardonic and immensely dislikeable guy next door (Fugit), who is having an affair with Virginia and makes every attempt to shut Catherine out of a three-way relationship.

Not surprisingly, the fragile Catherine quickly unravels, although quite down what paths her impending madness leads her the director often chooses to conceal. 'I'm in a self-perpetuating cycle of defeat,' says Catherine, although 'spiral' might be a better word. Just in case we hadn't sussed where all this was leading, Virginia is constantly seen reading a book called Women & Madness.

'Depression killed your father,' Virginia reproves her 'friend'; it may well do for you as well, if you sit through this miserable, slow-moving, talking heads-style movie to the end. It is, however, extremely well acted by its well-contrasted leading ladies. I have no idea what the title means.

David Quinlan

USA 2015. UK Distributor: Eureka!. Colour by Kodak.
90 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 15.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 2.

Review date: 30 Jun 2016