Dark Places (2015)

*** out of ****

“Dark Places” is one of those really rare movies – one that I know darn well isn't that great, but it still had me mesmerized from the opening frames. In large part it is due to the stark performance of the leading lady, but the seeming “real-ness” of the story had a lot to do with it as well.

Charlize Theron is Libby Day, an emotionally destroyed early-30s crisis survivor. When she just a child, her brother Ben (Corey Stoll) murdered her mother and two sisters, leaving Libby as a state ward. She has never had a job, living since that time on the donations of strangers who had an interest in the case, but after so many years that money is drying up. Libby accepts a $500 offer to visit a “kill club”, a fairly large collection of absolute weirdos who have an interest in famous crimes. But after weeding through the fantasy portions of the club, she finds there is a very serious aspect to it as well.

Part of the “kill club” consists of a bunch of retired cops and amateur sleuths that try to solve crimes they believe are unsolved, or someone is unjustly incarcerated. This club has found evidence that makes them believe there was more to the murder of Libby's family than meets the eye, and they want to grill her about that night. We find that Libby testified against her brother, but that she didn't really witness much – her testimony largely consisted of backing up the events described in her brother's confession. It isn't clear if that confession was legitimate or not, as brother Ben was involved in some kind of Satanic cult and the cops were only-too-pleased to have a very convenient scapegoat.

There is intrigue in “Dark Places”, but it is more of a tense character study than a whodunnit. Theron is excellent as Libby, a woman who cannot trust anyone but herself, and has doubts even about that. She is cold, angry and absolutely unwilling to believe the world is anything but against her. Stoll is equally good as Ben, a guy who is happy to leave everything to the imagination – want me to be guilty and I'll be guilty, want me to be innocent and I'll be that instead. His deliberate obfuscating of the the events of that night really leave you wondering what could possibly have happened.

It all eventually gets explained, and a large part of that is due to another excellent performance by Chloe Grace Moretz, as the young Ben's pregnant girlfriend, and fellow Satanist. She plays this part with such controlled insanity that it's unsettling. Her character is at the same time loving, a typical teenage girl, but utterly insane and loving it. I don't think I've ever seen a Moretz performance I thought was anything but great, and this is another one.

Overall I think this is a film for a very specific taste – dark, disturbing and with a gritty reality. I thoroughly enjoyed it.