You can almost hear the stage creaking beneath Cory Finley’s screen adaptation of what he originally conceived as a two-character play. Still, there are pleasures to be found in this black comedy about two “bad seeds”—Lily (Anya Taylor-Joy), a rich, smart girl expelled from her posh prep school, and her childhood friend Amanda (Olivia Cooke), another outcast—who together plot the murder of Lily’s hated stepfather. After an unsuccessful attempt to lure a small-time drug-dealer (the late Anton Yelchin, in his last performance) into doing the deed, the duo decide to undertake it themselves. Finley is adept at penning sharp, bitchy dialogue, and at constructing a sly tit-for-tat structure that mimics puzzle thrillers like Sleuth and Deathtrap. His touch is not completely sure, however, and before Thoroughbreds closes, the well of cleverness has begun to dry up, with a final act that feels flaccid despite its supposedly shocking revelations. But if one can accept its utterly synthetic quality and the affected turns by Taylor-Joy and Cooke, the film does provide an agreeably nasty time. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include character profiles (6 min.), a behind-the-scenes featurette (4 min.), and deleted scenes (2 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a small extras package for an uneven but mostly engaging dark comedy.] (F. Swietek)
Thoroughbreds
Universal, 92 min., R, DVD: $29.98, Blu-ray: $34.98, June 5 Volume 33, Issue 4
Thoroughbreds
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