FEMME -- Femme Fatale

Review by Joseph Fayed

Revenge thriller Femme from directors Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping expands the idea behind their 2021 short into a feature. Addressing themes of sexuality, identity, and openness about the former, the film establishes conflicting narratives quite effectively. Two strong leading performances bring the heat to a script that prioritizes style and substance. 

Jules (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) is a drag queen performing at a London nightclub. One night, outside the venue, he encounters Preston (George MacKay). The two exchange some words, which leads to Preston and his friends violently beating Jules. Months later, Jules, out of drag, encounters Preston, but he does not recognize him. The closeted Preston tries pursuing a relationship, but Jules is secretly in pursuit of something else: revenge. 

Jules' actions make them an anti-hero. The film's script does a good job of laying out the internal struggles both leads face in their lives. The film also lacks the use of internal monologue, a la Taxi Driver, and that decision alone gives the character of Jules more subtlety in their actions. We gradually learn more about Preston, and although he is more of an open book than Jules, his characterization makes the ending all the more worthwhile. ​

The cinematography is exceptional. Certain moments leading up to something climatic are presented in hot pink or red, while scenes where the characters are supposed to feel isolated or alone are presented in blue. A color contrast like this is very creative and adds an extra layer of beauty to a story that is both figuratively and literally dark — in both subject matter and taking place mainly in the evening. 

Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George Mackay both drive it home with their performances. Stewart-Jarrett walks the fine line between authenticity and a persona he is putting on, and I don't mean his drag act. MacKay portrays his character as both short-tempered and with convincing cognitive dissonance. Directors Freeman and Ng pose the question of whether identity could ever be tainted if it is stripped away from us. They give their perspective answer on that and do not make the film feel like it has been dragged out beyond the opening act. The chemistry between Nathan and George is strong and their scenes together feel genuine whether they are acting as friend or foe. 

Femme builds its suspense in all the right places. It is both stylish and sexy and has the bark and bite to show you how complex revenge can be. The fluidity of these characters and how they become intertwined is so well done, and I hope that now that all eyes are on them, this is just the first of many more collaborations between the filmmakers. 

Femme is now playing in theaters.

​Rating: 5/5