Sarah, a shy and socially isolated woman, struggles with grief after her mother’s suicide and spends much of her time alone or working at a crafts store. On her birthday, her roommate Nikki hosts a small gathering where Sarah meets Darren, who later asks her out. Soon afterward, Sarah begins experiencing disturbing events: vivid dreams in which she lies in a white room with strangers, sudden nosebleeds, and unexplained lapses in time. She wakes to find scratch marks on her walls, her car missing and later abandoned, and herself in strange places with no memory of how she got there. Haunted by these episodes and unnerved by similarities between her experiences and her grandmother’s life, Sarah becomes convinced she is being abducted by aliens and may even be a clone. Her increasingly erratic behavior strains her budding relationship with Darren and alarms her coworkers. After a breakdown at work, she is admitted to a psychiatric hospital but escapes during the night.
Horse Girl suffers some poor ratings, and I think this is because its misleading billing makes people expect a different film. This movie isn’t a “psychological drama,” it’s a thriller wearing a disguise. The drama is a little weak and stilted, playing out more like a teenage fever dream of young-adulthood than what people actually act like. But if you’re willing to wait through this slow burn, the drama disappears, replaced by deep mystery and unclear reality. Is Sarah losing her mind? Is her experience actually that of an alien abductee? Is she actually experiencing a coma after falling off a horse before the film even begins? These and a dozen other possibilities could be true, and that open-endedness makes Horse Girl one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve seen in several years. Some sci-fi, world-bending filmmaking that borders on the same high-strangeness of 2001: A Space Odyssey’s final moments will be well worth the wait for some, but those who dislike unreliable narrators or indeterminable meanings should look for different, more coherent drama. I think this very weird movie has the potential to become a cult classic with age. Highly recommended.
Why should community film programs consider this psychological sci-fi thriller?
While Horse Girl isn’t available for library collections due to its Netflix exclusivity, it has strong potential for community screenings and film discussion groups. Its blend of psychological unease, surreal imagery, and open-ended mystery makes it a conversation starter, especially for audiences drawn to cult cinema and unconventional narratives. For programmers, the film offers entertainment value rather than educational merit, but its thought-provoking ambiguity ensures lively debate among viewers who enjoy decoding layered stories.
Is this psychological sci-fi thriller a good fit for film clubs or community screenings?
Yes—provided audiences are prepared for something strange and unsettling. With its unreliable narrator and ambiguous shifts between reality, delusion, and possible science fiction, Horse Girl lends itself to post-screening discussions where participants can explore theories about Sarah’s experiences. Film clubs that focus on psychological thrillers, experimental cinema, or cult classics in the making will find it especially rewarding. While it’s not suited for classroom use, it is ideal for community events centered on film appreciation and spirited audience dialogue.
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