CORDELIA- Review

So, what’s one of the hazards of living in a big city? Most folks might immediately think of crime or perhaps trying to earn enough to keep up with the high rents. Strangely, a lot of city dwellers deal with isolation, that sibling to loneliness. And even though the streets are packed with bustling commuters and shoppers, there are those who internally “cut themselves off”, going about a routine before locking their doors and almost hibernating, Then there’s an element that accelerates this behavior, say a traumatic incident or accident. This is all at the center of a new psychological thriller set in one of the world’s biggest population centers, London. Even though it focuses on a “flat” that’s the home of two sisters, a deep loneliness haunts the one named CORDELIA.

Oddly, our introduction with her is when she sweetly gives up her seat on a packed subway train (over there it’s “The Tube”) to a standing blind passenger. It turns out that this is a “flashback dream”, one that’s more of a nightmare, which causes Cordelia ( Antonia Campbell-Hughes) to wake up with a muffled scream while drenched in sweat. Her twin sister Caroline rushes into her bedroom, pulls back the curtains to let the sun cleanse the space, and offers to draw her bath. She remarks about the cello solo that wafts in from the upper flat, a sound that seems to soothe the still frazzled Cordelia. She bids Caroline adieu, puts their cat Hunter outside, and walks briskly to a theatre near Covent Garden where she’s an understudy in a new production of “King Lear” (as Cordelia, ‘natch). While grabbing a spot of tea, she sees a handsome young man toting a cello case. He recognizes her since he’s her upstairs neighbor Frank (Johnny Flynn). They meet for drinks later that evening and share a cab back to their building. After heading to their respective flats, she is caught off-guard by a caller who hangs up on her “landline”. As Caroline is spending the weekend with a new beau, Cordelia calls on Frank for protection after a voice on a later call asks why she’s closed her drapes (it’s a slightly below ground-level space). Frank finds nobody “creeping about” and tries to comfort the haunted young woman. Thus begins a tentative romance, one that may end abruptly if they reveal the secrets that help them survive another day and keep their inner demons at bay.

The very complex and demanding title role is superbly brought to life by the talented Campbell-Hughes. It’s difficult enough to play twins, though Caroline is absent for the last hour or so, she makes us believe that she’s two sisters with distinct individual personalities rather than merely “talking with herself” aided with a bit of subtle VFX trickery. But the “meat of the tale” rests with Cordelia, who Campbell-Hughes first conveys as a fragile, timid flower who just might break apart when a strong wind swoops in. Slowly we see her stand straight, rather than being stooped over in advance of crouching into a “ball” to brace herself against the pummeling of everyday life. And just when we think of Cordelia as a mousey victim, an inner switch is “flipped” and she’s a snarling, sexy “beast” looking to pounce on her tormentors. To a lesser degree, Flynn’s Frank also has a moment of metamorphosis as the sensitive rom-com “dreamboat’ from upstairs is revealed to be a man of mystery, as he begins a game of passive-aggressive courting with Cordelia. Is he the noble protector or could he be a master manipulator? But, this isn’t a two-person character study. Michael Gambon has a nifty cameo as Caroline’s addled, chatty elderly neighbor, while Joel Fry is the new boyfriend who just can’t wrap his mind around dating a twin (or perhaps he’s hiding some filthy fantasies).

Adrian Shergold directs the film with several interesting visual flourishes, making good use of the main “maze-like” flat, following Cordelia as she often switches personalities mid-stride. The script he co-wrote with title star Campbell-Hughes, doesn’t “lay everything out”, instead it doles out backstories in small chunks, encouraging the viewers to piece everything together. And though most of it is in the twin’s home, the film never feels claustrophobic, although the story is opened up (sadly, a train trip to the country just feels like a “wheel-spinning” interlude). The London streets and neighborhoods look splendid, especially a trek about the theatre district (perhaps a few more scenes of Cordelia at work would reveal of bit more of her wounded persona to us). And as I noted the performances are strong, but unfortunately the final act feels far too abrupt, leaving several threads hanging, and making us ponder the reality of what preceded it (Cordelia is the epitome of the “unreliable narrator”). But if you’re looking for a thriller that’s a real “slow burn” with a duo flipping back and forth as prey and predator, then CORDELIA may just be your cup of somewhat curdled tea.

2.5 Out of 4

CORDELIA opens in select theatres and can be streamed on most apps and platfroms as a Video-on-Demand beginning on Frdiay, May 20, 2022