Moliner was interviewed on The Business, where he said that the investors/studio had concerns about the film’s non-linear structure and decided, without Moliner’s say-so, to re-edit the movie so it was told in order.

 Thank God that Moliner got back control. Strange Darling’s narrative might seem scrambled, but once you’ve seen the film, it’s clear that this is the only way this story could have been told. Editing the script sequentially would have been telling the story out of order. 

 Apart from its construction, all you need to know about Strange Darling is that it’s about a serial killer. That’s it. Nothing more. Don’t watch the trailer. Don’t read reviews (I’m not convinced you should read this one). Just immerse yourself in this knotty story about power, agency, and violence. It also looks beautiful. I know nothing about 35mm film, but the movie has that sweet, slightly grainy texture. The cinematographer, Giovanni Ribisi (yes, the actor), has done a great job (I think this is his debut as a cinematographer).

Or, to put it another way, Strange Darling doesn’t rest entirely on how it’s been arranged. The concept is very cool, but this movie is driven by two terrific performances from Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner. As good as the script is, this movie would collapse if you didn’t believe in them as The Lady and The Demon. Ed Begley and Barbara Hershey (who pop up briefly) also make this film sing.

Strange Darling should be appearing on best-of lists for 2024. That I haven’t seen it appear says something depressing about the way genre films are treated by critics. But that’s a whinge for another day. In the meantime—watch Strange Darling.