Femme

But as time goes on in this ticking time bomb of a movie, captivating in its every second, we find ourselves embroiled in much more than a straightforward tale of retribution. As Jules moves closer to realizing his plan of publicly outing Preston, some genuine intimacy begins developing between the two, their opposing worlds impossibly intersecting. And here is where our conflicted feelings go haywire. This is a brutal revenge thriller at heart, and the asshole deserves whatever’s coming to him! Or does he? Everyone can be vulnerable and is worthy of a chance at redemption and love! But even this abusive piece of shit? Jules, too, feels mightily conflicted.

Adding a romantic thread to a wildly intense movie about identity and toxic masculinity could have been disastrously heavy-handed, or even offensive to its wronged character, but writer/directors Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping walk the tenuous line unwaveringly in their tremendous feature debut (based on their 2021 short, featuring different actors). And the staggering performances they evoke from their two leads only make the film shine brighter. Stewart-Jarrett and MacKay’s chemistry is electric, whether violently antagonistic, passionately sexual, or anywhere in between. Stewart-Jarrett, in particular, stands out because much of the weight of carrying the film rests on him. The camera places an up-close-and-personal focus on Jules, a gentle soul with doses of self-loathing and confusion, as he attempts to overcome trauma and reconnect with his life and friends. The remarkable dexterity with which the movie toys with expectations, executes dramatic role reversals, and drags viewers through the emotional wringer, leaving them with thoughts and questions not easily unpacked, helps Femme to find its place among the best of the newly classified breed of modern anti-revenge films.