The Monster - 2016 - 5/10
Part arthouse, part mother - daughter road trip (ha ha).
Dysfunctional, alcoholic, abusive mother drives neglected young daughter to her ex.
They are supposed to depart at 8:00 AM, except hungover Ma doesn’t get rollin’ until 4:00.
Soon as they hit the spooky backroad, rain pelts down in sheets.
The car strikes a wolf and the subsequent crash leaves the vehicle inoperative.
Before they can say - “Hey, where’d that wolf go?” - the girls realize trouble is mounting.
Acting by the female leads is terrific. I hated Mom, pitied the small girl.
The pace may be too measured to hold interest for many, though.
There is also that allegory about who the real monsters are, which some might equate with spoon feeding.
Quibble: I grew up on backroads. None ever had streetlamps, let alone three of them.
Plus, after you crash your car, switch off the headlamps and wipers!
I should not have to explain this to stranded drivers unless they want to be future meals.
