Lizzie (2018) - A Love-story, First and Foremost

Lizzie (2018) is a slow burn. A very slow burn, choosing to look at relationships over the main event. Which, at the very least, makes it different.

The film is based on the infamous Borden murders, which spawned the rhyme 'Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave her mother forty whacks,' and is technically unsolved. Looking at the facts of the case, the conclusion is easily drawn, but that hasn't stopped storytellers playing around in every nook and cranny.

The film is more reminiscent of Atwood's Alias Grace, preferring to be character driven and focus on relationships. This is a good take, given how famous the case is and how this retelling isn't saying anything new about the nature of the murders. Instead, we focus on Lizzie (played by Chloë Sevigny)herself, and the film takes its time to illustrate her frustrations as an unmarried woman at the twilight of the Victorian era. One of the film's strengths is the slow burn of anger that builds to the crescendo everyone knows is coming. It doesn't justify Lizzie's actions, but it does contextualise them. A detail that just edges onto the trope in tragedy of 'this was inevitable.'

The main relationship of the film, though, is Lizzie's relationship with the maid, Bridget (Kristen Stewart). Their romance is well-written, tender and full of sexual tension. Both actresses bring their all into the scenes to create a great, period love story between two women. It's the driving force of the film, and a welcome aspect in modern horror. For all the bad reputation Twilight gave her, Kristen Stewart is a strong actress, and that comes to the forefront here. (With a very well-done Irish accent!)

The historical aspects are also done nicely. The big, Victorian house is atmospheric, but claustrophobic where it needs to be. (I'm also always taken by good, historical wardrobes!)

This does mean the film holds back on the horror elements. It's not a gore fest and there are no real scares, but that's not what it's trying to do. It falls more into the thriller category, focusing on the more human elements. What little horror there is becomes poignant and the emotion shines through. Again, its the focus on the emotional beats and strain that makes the film shine as more than a simple slasher tale.

Unfortunately, it does feel like the film loses momentum with its conclusion. Whether its hands were tied by historical events or not, the conclusion is vague and leaves more to be desired. It's not a bad ending, just an unpolished one, as if someone forget to tie the narrative up neatly. There's beautiful views of the scenery, but a little more to round off.

Overall, Lizzie's another strong, female-led queer horror, with good writing, atmosphere and slow burn. Whilst not the most gruesome, it's a refreshing retelling of one of the most infamous 'unsolved' cases.