Charlize Theron’s Forgotten Thriller R-Rated on Netflix, Explores a Twisted Past
Written by Robert Scucci | Published
At the time Charlize Theron was coming off one studio project (a little film called Mad Max: Fury Road) and for something much smaller and more restrained, he took on the crime drama of 2015 Dark Places. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name and fully committed to its mystery, Dark Places was largely forgotten upon release, grossing just over $5 million at the box office against its reported production budget of $11.9 million. Worse still, the film flopped, reaching a 23 percent with critics on Rotten Tomatoes and an even better 33 percent approval rating on Popcornmeter.
Although I do not agree with that difficult test, Dark Places it’s a difficult watch because it tries to do too much at once. It’s one of those situations where the timelines you’re exploring are better suited for the page than the screen. What is meant to be a present-day mystery informed by the terrible events of decades before becomes a narrative, frustrating story because the screenplay itself is strong, the acting is even better, and the individual parts are very effective. The problem is how those parts collide.
Defined by Trauma, Motivated by Money
Dark Places’ Today’s mystery centers on Libby Day (Charlize Theron), the sole survivor of a family massacre that occurred when she was only 8 years old, portrayed in flashbacks by Sterling Jerins. His older brother Ben (Corey Stoll) was charged and is currently serving a life sentence. Ben insists that Libby didn’t know the whole story, and that when she was young, portrayed by Tye Sheridan, there were other suspects who were never properly considered.
To this day, Libby survives on donations tied to her fame as the girl whose family was killed. As the years pass and public interest fades, that money dries up, creating financial pressure that even his ghostwritten book can’t relieve. When Libby is approached by Lyle Wirth (Nicholas Hoult) and invited to speak at his true crime club, she agrees on the condition that she be paid. Defined by her trauma and motivated by survival, Libby sees it as a necessary step to keep the lights on. That equation quickly changes when he realizes what Lyle is after.
While Lyle runs a true crime club, it operates on two very different levels. The ground floor caters to casual hobbyists, while the upper floor is filled with people who devote their free time to solving cold cases. Lyle believes Ben may be innocent, but Libby’s childhood testimony is compelling enough to secure a conviction. In his memory of Libby, he spoke the truth. However, he is forced to face the idea that memories formed under intense pain may not be as reliable as he believed.
At first showing only the money, Libby agrees to visit her brother in prison to hear his version of events. That conversation sends her on a trail of partially buried truths, bringing her closer to the fact that someone else killed her family when Ben fell.
The Two-Story Structure Kills the Momentum
on paper, Dark Places it has a compelling setup. A brother and sister who don’t live together work towards a common goal after years apart, each carrying their own version of the truth. The tension is high, as Libby’s testimony lands Ben in prison, even though he was a child and all the evidence at the time pointed directly to him. Ben has either accepted his fate or is playing a long game that even Lyle and his team of novice players can’t fully see.
Interspersed with today’s story is a second narrative set in 1985, leading up to the night of the murders. These scenes drip with the intention of eventually colliding with today’s revelations. It’s a strong idea in theory, but one that is unwieldy in practice. The audience can piece things together slowly as the film progresses, but in time Dark Places reaches its middle ground, most of the big cards are already on the table if you are familiar with the suit.
Dark Places it relies heavily on well-worn tropes, and as such, pulls them off just right. The downside of that level of credibility is that the story structure follows a painfully familiar logic, which softens the impact of the mystery. The dual narrative is meant to heighten the tension, but instead lowers its exposition. Although I wouldn’t argue that Dark Places worthy of its current critical score, it’s easy to understand why it left so many viewers feeling uncomfortable. All the pieces of a compelling thriller are there, they just don’t lock together in a satisfyingly satisfying way.
By its practice and its main concept only, Dark Places it’s worth a watch. But if you’re hoping for a mystery that hooks you, it probably isn’t going to do it.
Dark Places is streaming on Netflix.
