Wasn't sure what to expect... but both main actresses Evan Rachel Wood and Julia Sarah stone were incredible. The first scene made me think "I'm sorry... what the hell is happening?" But was intrigued as to how it would all play out and there are quite a few layers of manipulation of different characters and the effect on their behavior it can trigger if never dealt with. I saw someone say "too many impossible things happening," and I can say that during the whole movie I saw interactions that were immediately familiar to me through my own life in a codependent relationship and many of my friends in manipulative relationships especially with the extremely uneven dynamic such as these characters. Honestly Evan Rachel woods character is a stereotypical storyline of an adult who grew up never dealing with the abuse inflicted on them, especially that of a parent/family member where you can't always just escape your abuser... and then they go over board "taking care" of you almost like a penance they do out of guilt which a lot of the time will stunt the growth of maturity of the victim. I mean I think it was such a textbook storyline that I'm surprised some think it's fantastical.... but maybe they don't know as much about these types of situations in real life to recognize them. It's a rollercoaster for your emotions for sure. I was extremely uncomfortable with the intimate scenes because of the ages... but luckily the actress playing the teenage girl was much older than she looks... I kept thinking "please make it stop," but I think that's what makes those scenes so powerful... they were used to show the complete difference in experience and understanding of intimacy. I also read a review who complained something like "if you make a steamy preview then you should show it..... they always stop it right away," and if you're watching this to see some erotic lesbian scenes with a grown woman and a teenager then like this commenter you are going to be completely disappointed and should search that up on Pot hub. There's definitely a lot going on... and again I don't find a lot of it that far fetched like some who didn't understand these things... but again I'm very interested in sociology, mental health and am a survivor of sexual assault as well as physical abuse which I'm glad not everybody can say.... but I think they did a great job with the characters and the way it played out... except with Evans father in the movie... felt like that one was left with an ellipses. All in all the movie is driven by the emotions of the characters... not as many huge crazy events with a lot of background characters... but thought they did a pretty good job of it!
Allure
2017
Action / Drama / Romance / Thriller
Allure
2017
Action / Drama / Romance / Thriller
Plot summary
Plagued by the abuse of her past and the turmoil of failed intimate encounters, Laura struggles to find a lover and a sense of normalcy. Her beacon of hope comes in sixteen year-old Eva, a talented pianist disillusioned by the life her mother imposes upon her. An unlikely relationship is formed between the two and Eva becomes an obsession to Laura. In light of Eva's unhappiness, Laura convinces her to run away to her house and they soon find themselves caught within an intense entanglement. Manipulation, denial and codependency fuel what ultimately becomes a fractured dynamic that can only sustain itself for so long.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Tech specs
720p.WEB 1080p.WEBMovie Reviews
Powerful portrayal of mental health and the domino effect of manipulation and codependency
great actors need help
Laura (Evan Rachel Wood) is a house cleaner. She's troubled and sexually promiscuous. She starts a new job at a family home and befriends the teenage pianist daughter Eva (Julia Sarah Stone). Eva runs away from home and lives with Laura.
This has the greatness of Evan and a nice newcomer in Julia. The plot is pretty thin and some scenes are too quiet for stretches. Sometimes, it's giving these characters room to breathe. Sometimes, it's a slow nothingness. I like the movie but I would definitely condense it to give it more intensity. Also the filmmakers don't seem to know how to elevate the danger. The movie needs to pump up the tension especially with the first thirty minutes. It needs to squeeze in some higher stakes in every scene. This indie has a few smaller indie awards but it's not good enough to get to a higher level.
So-so...
Didn't know what to expect, gave it shot, not the worst nor the best, that's about it when I was thinking what to say about this movie. The theme of the movie isn't really a thing I like to watch, find it a bit disgusting, so not my idea of fun for watching a movie. The acting was most of the time good but there are some passages where it lacked enthusiasm and it showed. I like movies with a satisfying ending but Allure isn't one of them. I don't regret watching it but won't watch it again.