Title – The Perfection (2019)

Director – Richard Shepard (The Matador)

Cast – Allison Williams, Logan Browning, Steven Weber, Alaina Huffman, Evelyn Chew

Plot – Musical prodigies Charlotte (Williams) and Lizzie (Browning) share a shocking encounter that sends shock-waves through their musical community and changes their lives forever.   

“What is happening to me?”

Review by Eddie on 04/06/2019

The Perfection certainly isn’t the most polished film going around, but this twisting and turning Netflix released horror with a difference is sure to tickle that horror itch that viewers will be seeking, as director Richard Shepard takes us on a depraved, wild and wince-inducing journey through a mad music filled world.

Cutting his teeth in feature films such as The Matador and Dom Hemingway and TV events such as recent Twilight Zone eps and Girls, Shepard brings a wealth of experience to the relatively low-budget Perfection and nails his casting in the form of leads Allison Williams and Logan Browning.

Once more donning the crazy persona and manic expressions she has made her own over recent years (particularly in huge breakthrough Get Out), Williams plays the scheming a mysterious music prodigy Charlotte, who after years at home looking after her ill mother, strikes up a relationship with fellow classical musician Lizzie (played by Browning), who is also a fellow student of Steve Weber’s famed teacher Anton.

Broken down into specific chapters that are announced with title cards, Perfection’s journey starts out in a seemingly by the numbers manner, with echoes of past mentally unhinged horrors such as Black Swan and Suspiria no doubt influencers on the vibe Shepard is aiming for here but it doesn’t take long for this tale of manipulation, double crosses and horrific bus trips to enter into some seriously off-kilter scenarios that will keep you guessing until the memorable final scene plays out.

Full credit must go to Williams and Browning who go all in with their performances, they’re not particularly likable creations they’re playing but we begin to warm to their individual reasoning’s and causes as we find out more about what makes them tick and while we may at times think we’ve nailed them down, Shepard and his writing partners Nicole Snyder and Eric C. Charmelo ensure that nothing ever remains stale or predictable for too long.

It’s also nice to be able to sit back and watch a horror take you to some surprising and fresh places and while much of what happens in Perfection isn’t overly original (we’ve seen countless iterations of this revenge type horror play out for decades gone by), the way in which things transpire and scenes come out of nowhere to shock and prod makes the rough and raw nature of The Perfection more easy to bare.

Final Say –

Prepare for winces and squirms as The Perfection takes no prisoners on its shocking journey of revenge and the quest for the perfect performance. Grounded by memorable turns from its two lead performers, The Perfection is one of the better Netflix horror offerings that have come our way in recent times.

3 meat cleavers out of 5