Magpie (2024) Review: Daisy Ridley Brings Her A-game To This Twisty Psychological Thriller
2024 is undoubtedly a good year for Daisy Ridley — first in the inspirational sports biopic Young Woman and the Sea and now, Magpie, a neo-noir thriller that offers a fresh perspective on the otherwise oft-told themes of toxic relationships and marital woes. Based on Ridley’s original story, the story follows Anette (Daisy Ridley) who is happy for her adolescent daughter Matilda’s (Hiba Ahmed) upcoming movie audition to appear in a period drama. She also has a newborn named Lucas (Alyssa and Sienna Benn) and lives in a posh house in the countryside with her writer-husband, Ben (Shazad Latif).
But beyond their seemingly normal family, they previously overcame a difficult period after Ben disappeared for eight months to work on his latest book, leaving Anette to take care of their children on her own. Ben’s writing career isn’t exactly doing well and their rocky marital life remains evident, even though they try their best to act normal in front of their daughter.
When Matilda’s co-star, Alicia’s (Matilda Lutz) leaked sex tape circulated on the internet, Ben becomes more fixated on the seductive Italian actress. Since he’s taking Matilda to the movie set, this gives him the chance to get acquainted with Alicia. Ben and Alicia hit it off well while the latter enjoys bonding with her co-star like sisters over get-together meals. What begins as a mutual attraction with Ben spending constant time texting her soon turns into an obsession, which in turn, causes Anette to raise doubt about her husband’s illicit affair.
Magpie marks the impressive feature debut for filmmaker Sam Yates, previously a director for short films and theatre works, notably Andrew Scott-starred Vanya and actor-turned-screenwriter — also Ridley’s husband — Tom Bateman, told their story in a deliberate, yet well-paced 90-minute length. Yates’ assured direction allows ample room for his stars to shine in their respective roles, beginning with Ridley’s character as the estranged housewife Anette who is forced to put up with her no-good husband, ignoring her needs and even barely supports her emotionally when she needs him the most. We see her silently struggling with her mental health and loneliness while it’s hard not to get invested in her predicament. She inhabits Anette’s inner psyche without falling prey to the usual histrionics, making her overall subtle acting easily one of the best performances in her career so far.
Ridley’s co-star, Latif equally excels as Ben who obsesses over their daughter’s co-star Alicia (Matilda Lutz in her alluring supporting turn). He perfectly embodies the type of selfish husband that will make you hate his guts. Yates keeps the subject grounded without losing sight of the neo-noir styling with extra kudos going to Laura Bellingham’s atmospheric cinematography that complements well with the director’s moody colour palette.
The thriller is more psychological which relies on internal conflicts rather than your average in-your-face visual approach with the dramatic tension building up slowly but surely delving between Anette’s state of mind and Ben’s inner desire and how the two’s respective behaviour reflect the cause of their actions. Magpie is also deceptive in its storytelling, making you wonder where the movie will lead before it eventually unravels the truth. That truth in question is where the movie hits you with a surprise that you probably won’t see it coming. The kind of twist where some viewers may find it preposterous. But personally, I find it refreshingly subversive as Yates brilliantly executed Bateman’s sleight-of-hand ending that takes the familiar term of gaslighting to the next level.
Although the movie does lag in some scenes, Magpie remains a captivating experience which continues to prove Daisy Ridley’s acting prowess in the indie/mid-budget fare outside the Star Wars franchise.
