MAGPIE (2024)
3 stars
Signature Entertainment. UK and Ireland digital platforms 11 November
Anette (Daisy Ridley) and Ben (Shazad Latif) are clearly well off, living in their big flashy house, out in the remote countryside. Despite this it is clear early on in MAGPIE that there are cracks in their relationship. Anette is struggling with bringing up their small baby and their young daughter Matilda (Hiba Ahmed), especially as her husband, who is a writer, doesn’t appear to be working at the present time and she would like to get back into the workplace.
When Matilda, or Tilly as they call her, auditions for part in a historical movie, she gets the role. Ben volunteers to be her chaperone on set and quickly becomes friendly with the lead actress Alicia (Matilda Lutz), who has a bit of a reputation and has been victim to a sexy video of her being leaked on the internet. He is so taken with her, that he leaps to her defence, when some of the crew are seen to be enjoying watching said video.
Meanwhile Anette is left at home, coping with their son and feeling increasingly isolated. She soon begins to have suspicions that Ben is being more than friendly with his new acquaintance – especially when she sees paparazzi pictures of him and Matilda visiting Alicia’s home… but what is she prepared to do about it?
A slow burn psychological thriller, this has a script by Tom Bateman, working from an idea by his wife Ridley – she apparently arrived at the central concept after appearing in a film where she had a young actress playing her daughter. Much of the on-screen dalliance takes place via text messaging, which might have proved a tad dull, so Director Sam Yates uses the device of the characters vocalising the sexting to camera, which kind of works but can at times feel a bit artificial. Ridley seems to be carving out a career beyond appearing in Star Wars, by taking on interesting parts like in the recent SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT DYING and THE MARSH KING’S DAUGHTER (both 2023). She is excellent here, and the main reason this slow burn outing works as well as it does – despite it feeling a touch drawn out. The story builds to an unexpected ending.
Steve Kirkham
