[FilmReview]Shirley(2020)

“WomenlikeShirleydon’thavefriends”,thesaidShirleyisfamedAmericanhorror/mysterywriterShirleyJackson(1916-1965),playedbyElisabethMosswithanunflattering,matronlytransmogrification.Whilethefilm’stitleisSHIRLEY,actuallytherearetwoleadsofequalweightinUSindiepractitionerJosephineDecker’sunorthodoxbiopic,whichisadaptedfromSusanScarfMerrell’snovel,essentiallycomprisesfourcharacters,Shirley,herhusbandStanleyEdgarHyman(Stuhlbarg),andanothercouple(totallyfictionalized),thenewlywedsFredandRoseNemser(LermaandYoung),whoareinvitedtotemporarilystayunderthesameroof,asFredstartshisnewjobasaprofessoratBenningtonCollege,Vermont,whereStanleyworks.Thedynamismamongtwocoupleswithgenerationalshiftisacutelyreflectedintheduo-playbetweenShirleyandherco-leadRose,thethrough-lineofSHIRLEYalsoprominentlyliesinRose’sslowsubsumptionintoShirley’sdeliberate,push-pullmind-fuck,whilethelatterisshutin,strainstowriteherlatestnovelaboutadisappearedgirlinthecampus.ShirleyseesanimpressionableRoseasanamenableassetwhomshecanmanipulatetoherownadvantage,whereasRoseisenthralledtofinallygettheattractionfromthesurly,reclusivewriter(afterabumpystart),andsubmitsherselfalmostcompletelytotheirlatentsapphicdevelopmentelicitedbyShirley.Atthesametime,Rose’slifeisalsowrong-footedby“theangelinthehouse”roleimposedonherandthecomplacencyofhermatrimonysoondissolveswhenhardtruthstartssurfacing.SHIRLEYisfascinatingworkfromDecker,whocalibratesanexperimental,atmosphericvisualsyntaxthatbeauteouslyheightensalltheminutiaewithchromaticclarityandallure,tactilelyimbuingavintageglowoneverythingandeveryonecapturedbyhercamera,beitasceniclongshotoraclose-uponMoss’zittyvisage.DeckeralsocollatestheintimatecharacterstudycloselywithTamar-kali’ssubtlysubversivescorethatthrobs,humsandjaggedlyhintsanefarious,murkyundertowthatissubliminallyunsettling.Inthetitularrole,Mossdivesintotheembodimentwithassuredperverseness,thefilmistheantithesisofahagiography,andshesinksherteethintoawriter’smessyprocessofcreativityrelentlessly,herShirleyJacksonemanatesalmostameta-fictionalconnotationpertainingtoasortofvaguemalevolencethatisexemplaramongtheintelligentsia,whichmanyafilmmakerbeforeDeckerfailstoexpresseloquently,shemustfirmlybelievethatinsideeverysoulofatruegenius,theremustbesomedistorted,shadowypartthatprowlsbehindthecloseddoor,waitingtomaraud,tofeedonwhateversustenance(incentive,inspiration,enlightenment,oralighteningbolt!)thatisvitaltotheirexceptionalcreation,andMossisaterrificenablertothatpurpose,andbythesametoken,althoughinalesserextent,soisStuhlbarg’sconfidentportrayalofanofficiousHyman“Ifitwasawful,itwould’vebeenexciting,butterrificallycompetent,thereisnoexcuseforthat.”,thetoxicityoftheirfolieàdeuxisappalling,butalsobeguilinglyunderstandable.Rose,ontheotherhand,isthecanaryinacoalmine(withaveryliteralcueonshow),expectanttoinfiltrateacelebrity’sinnercircles,hernaivety,sensualityandgrowinginfatuationallcomeintoexistencecourtesytoYoung’sbang-upebullienceandexpressiveness.Intheend,itisRose’sresoundingriteofpassagethatputsapositivespintothedenouement’sambivalence,SHIRLEYisnotyourusualbiopicboilerplate,itisanimpeccableflightaboutthepeculiarsymbiosisoftwowomen.referentialentries:AlexRossPerry’sQUEENOFEARTH(2015,7.3/10);MarielleHeller’sCANYOUEVERFORGIVEME?(2018,8.0/10).本文版权归作者他他所有，任何形式转载请联系作者。