By Jay of the Dead

There’s a wild little Horror flick that released on Netflix on May 24, 2019. I got up early and watched it that same morning before going to work. It was getting a lot of buzz, and I agree with what everyone says: Watch it before someone spoils it for you.

Rest assured, I will not spoil “The Perfection” for you, so you can feel completely at ease to finish reading this review, spoiler-free.

“The Perfection” stars Allison Williams (the girlfriend in “Get Out”) as Charlotte, a cellist who took a several-year sabbatical away from her blossoming career, in order to help care for her terminally ill mother. As the film opens, we are at the end of her mother’s life, so Charlotte is ready to return to her elite music conservatory, where another fantastic cellist, Elizabeth (Logan Browning), has stepped into Charlotte’s shoes. At this point in the film, only a few minutes in, we can tell two things: Charlotte obviously feels despondent about the detour her life has taken, and it seems that Elizabeth has taken her rightful place and perhaps all her opportunities.

And that is absolutely all I can reveal about the plot of “The Perfection.” The reason I can’t tell you more is “The Perfection” is full of surprises, twists and turns. It is the type of film that redefines itself as it unfolds, thereby redefining our expectations and conclusions about what it is or what it will become.

Of necessity, “The Perfection” is very contrived, but again, it has to be in order to pull off its magic. Speaking of magic, I was reminded of “The Prestige,” a film about magicians that is in and of itself a cinematic magic trick. In a similar way, “The Perfection” does some shape-shifting calisthenics, right before our eyes and it’s pretty thrilling to watch it unfold.

I will say (spoiler-free) to those who have already watched “The Perfection”: I was elated and ecstatic during the first 40 minutes of the film. I thought I had it all figured out and knew the direction it was heading, the kind of Horror film it was going to be. And though it would have been a relatively standard direction, I love those types of films. But I was very wrong, and even though I would have loved to watch the film I thought I was seeing through ’til the end, I was still very pleased to be along for the ride. And it is a wild ride!

“The Perfection” is dark, gross, disturbing and inventive. It is a novelty, to be sure. I’m not sure about repeat viewings, though, because once you know the surprises, it may lose some of its power. But I still think the film merits a second viewing, at the very least.

For me, strictly due to this crazy and memorable experience, I’m rating “The Perfection” an 8 out of 10, and I’m saying to stream it as soon as you can on Netflix. But I also think it’s worth purchasing, even if there’s ever only one instance in which you can show it to some unsuspecting viewer who’s never heard of “The Perfection.”

Rating and Recommendation: The Perfection (2019)
Jay of the Dead = 8 ( Stream ASAP on Netflix / Buy it! )

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