To dance with the devil. . . perhaps not the cheeriest of thoughts. But, what if the person the devil is dancing with is another devil? Of course, I’m speaking on a metaphorical level, and this is basically what happens in the mysterious 2018 thriller Piercing, written and directed by Nicolas Pence.
To be brutally honest, if you do not like films where there is really no single person to root for, then this will probably not be for you. Opening with a playful combination of music and credits, as I listened, it sounded to me like something you would hear in a 1970s giallo (and, lo and behold, the soundtrack features Goblin’s Tenebrae score), which plays over a fabricated city skyline, cold and lacking life. Like something heard in a music box with a dark twist, it warns of a sinister love story (and I use the word love loosely).
Introduced to the first of the unlikable main characters, Reed (Christopher Abbott) is a married man, a new father, and a slash happy psychopathic murderer – don’t you hate when people have it all? Intricately planning on killing an unknown prostitute (in an attempt to satiate his bloodlust), his mind is constantly spinning: going over the timing, pre-preparing his dialogue, planning every second in detail – he basically makes his list and checks it twice.
Heading out of town and checking into a hotel, the plan is slightly skewed from the beginning, yet, despite his penchant for being in control, he moves forward. Instead of getting the lady he has pre-booked, he is sent Jackie (Mia Wasikowska), a woman with a severe blonde bob – and I’m not talking about her pimp.
Passionate about building her wardrobe (though slowly), decorating her home oasis, collecting unique slippers, cooking, making fancy coffees, and self mutilation, you really can’t beat a gal with so many hobbies. Throwing the man for a loop, what ensues is an intricate salsa, one where both lead the dance from time to time – a violently sensual power struggle.
Featuring a recipe that consists of a few legs of David Cronenberg body horror, a tablespoon of twisted horror from the Japanese film Audition, a cup of the relationship competition found in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread, and two teaspoons of Brian De Palma’s iconic split screen method, the dish is finished off with a pinch of Hitchcockian drollery.
A twisted game of cat and mouse with a noticeable flair, Piercing is beautifully framed, features smoldering close-ups (as well as a variety of other striking techniques), is lit by moody cinematography (by Zack Galler), and is chock full of stylish set design (man oh man, are there some cool phones) – a charcuterie of tasty visuals. Yet, like anything, it will be the story that will sway you, one way or the other. Based on a novel of the same name by Ryũ Murakami, there is likely something lost in its translation from Japanese, yet there is still something off-puttingly alluring about the simplicity of the sly back and forth between these two, a dance with two devils in the pale moonlight.
Starring two actors that delve into their characters – delighting in living within the dark crevices of this world, Piercing would be a controversial film. . . if anyone had seen it. So, let’s change that – for this is no poison-pen letter, it is simply a review highlighting this film’s piercing visual style – so check it out.