Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- disturbing
- punky
- grotesque
- late night horror viewing
- cult film marathon
What critics said
Critics found the film a mixed but intermittently effective piece of bizarre, punky horror with ambitious themes and abrasive excess.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Darlin' and The Woman confront institutional and interpersonal violence directed at vulnerable women.
Darlin' is placed in a care home where nuns attempt to turn her into a model good girl.
The Bishop and obedient nuns use a Catholic care home as a stage for control and claimed rehabilitation.
The film combines disgusting imagery and brutal subject matter with the irreverent, bizarre energy noted in its critical reception.
Films like Darlin', and why
The Woman
shared feral outsider protagonist, feminist horror perspective, and confrontational social themes
The Magdalene Sisters
shared unsettling religious institution, abuse of vulnerable girls, and bleak psychological horror
The Neon Demon
shared survival horror, disturbing body-centered imagery, and transgressive exploitation tone
American Mary
shared outsider woman, institutional cruelty, and grimly comic feminist genre sensibility
Movie Details
- Director
- Pollyanna McIntosh
- Release Date
- 2019-09-11
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Rating
- 5.3 / 10 (147)
Cast
- Lauryn Canny
- Bryan Batt
- Nora-Jane Noone
- Cooper Andrews
- Pollyanna McIntosh
- John McConnell
- Geraldine Singer
- Maddie Nichols
- Mackenzie Graham
- Jeff Pope
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Darlin' about?
- A feral teenager battles a coercive Catholic rehabilitation system while the savage guardian from her past closes in to reclaim her.
- What is Darlin' like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Darlin' as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Darlin' violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Darlin' as graphic.
- What did critics think of Darlin'?
- Critics found the film a mixed but intermittently effective piece of bizarre, punky horror with ambitious themes and abrasive excess.
- Which films are like Darlin'?
- Films with a similar feel include The Woman, The Magdalene Sisters, The Neon Demon, and American Mary.
- How long is Darlin'?
- Darlin' runs 101 minutes.
- Where can I watch Darlin'?
- In United States, Darlin' is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
