Femme: Film Review
I urge you all to check out Femme because it is one of the best films of the year.
Nathan Stewart-Jarrett stars as Jules, who performs as the drag act Aphrodite. One night, Aphrodite is subjected to a horrifying homophobic attack in the street. Months later, Jules spots his attacker Preston (George MacKay) in a gay sauna and decides to get revenge by obtaining proof to out him.
Fans of MacKay will see him in a whole new light thanks to his transformation into Preston. He speaks in a common street accent, is covered in tattoos and is filled with pent-up anger because he hates himself and his sexuality. He is an aggressive thug with a very short temper and he’s actually quite unnerving because you don’t know when something will make him fly off the handle. I felt on edge whenever Jules was with him because he didn’t seem to be in a safe environment.
Preston stays in control of his dates so he wants to stay firmly in the closet – but he eventually lets his guard down with Jules and stops following his rules. I couldn’t understand why Jules would fake liking the person who savagely beat him up but I guess his pursuit of revenge blinds him. He can never forget the attack, but he starts to feel differently about Preston as he gets to know him and that causes a big problem.
The sense of tension and uneasiness kept building throughout the movie and the situation came to a head in the most spectacular way towards the end. At one point, I held my face in my hands because I couldn’t cope, and I’m pretty sure I held my breath for a while! It seriously delivered on the thriller aspect in the intense, nail-biting final act.
Jules is a complicated man who puts himself in a risky situation to achieve revenge. While I couldn’t understand him, Stewart-Jarrett plays him with so much sensitivity and empathy that I found myself supporting his choices regardless. He forms an incredible partnership with MacKay, who continues to push my perception of what he can do as an actor. His transformation blew me away!
Femme, based on the 2021 short of the same name, is a gripping revenge thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.
In cinemas Friday 1st December