Introduction:
Magpie is a 2024 neo-noir thriller shot by director Sam Yates a movie starring Daisy Ridley and Shazad Latif. Due to its world release at SXSW on March 9th, 2024 the movie borders on infidelity, obsession, and vulnerability of relationships against the backdrop of Hollywood. In the course of the events, the subject focuses on such topics as marriage and individuals’ difficulties, making it a study of contemporary reality.
Release Date:
“Magpie” was premiered at the SXSW festival on the March 9, 2024. The film finished its festival tour and is scheduled for release in the United States theatrically on October 25, 2024, released with its distribution rights by Shout! Studios. This timing targets the audience’, especially those seeking events, that give them the deserved entertainment and experiences during the fall season.
Crew:
| Role | Name(s) |
|---|---|
| Director | Sam Yates |
| Producers | Kate Solomon, Daisy Ridley, Tom Bateman, Camilla Bray, Nadia Khamlichi, Sierra Garcia |
| Story Writer | Daisy Ridley |
| Screenplay | Tom Bateman |
| Editor | Christopher Watson |
| Music Director | Isobel Waller-Bridge |
Cast:
| Actor/Actress | Character Name |
|---|---|
| Daisy Ridley | Anette |
| Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz | Alicia |
| Shazad Latif | Ben |
| Alistair Petrie | Richard |
| Jenny Galloway | Maid |
| Emmet Kirwan | Director |
| Cherrelle Skeete | Emily |
| Pippa Bennett-Warner | Esther |
Story:
The story is built for Ben, a father who comes to a movie set with his daughter Matilda, an aspiring young actress, who stars alongside another movie actress Alicia, played by Matilda Lutz. When his wife Anette who plays the role of Daisy Ridley stays at home nursing their baby, Ben is more and more attracted to the girl, thus creating tensions and mistrust in marriage.
Key Plot Points:
- Family Dynamics: The movie begins with Ben at work as a father and a husband, trying to understand all odds and ends of his continuous passion for Alicia.
- Marital Strain: Employing the dramatic ironies of conflicts and identities Anette strengthens her complexes and doubts in Ben’s feelings towards Alicia.
- Obsession and Betrayal: With the growth of sexual passion between Ben and Alicia, the latter turns him into a deceiver whose life will be in danger of blowing up his domestic happiness.
- Climactic Confrontation: The story progresses towards the revelation of the figures’ truths, so any relation between the characters is reset by the climax.
Review:
First of all, let us turn to critics’ opinions as to the film “Magpie” After its release, it was meeting with relatively good reviews where critics agreed that the film is capable of unearthing various layers of meaning, has strong performances and direction but is not without flaws, specifically in the context of the narrative.
Positives:
- Strong Performances: British actress Daisy Ridley brings out the sensitive side and the strength of a woman named Anette. Shazad Latif is equally great as Ben and does a good job to show change inside the character.
- Cinematic Quality: The movie is well shot and has a powerful look in general especially with the help of cinematographer Laura Bellingham.
- Engaging Themes: It is therefore consequently asserted that issues of the current thematic realm associated with ‘Magpie’ including infidelity, obsession and the influence of fame on the existing relationships are thoroughly rendered.
Negatives:
- Pacing Issues: There are however criticism that feel that some scenes in the movie are either slow boring in a way that detracts from viewership.
- Predictable Elements: Despite the twists and turns, hidden within the plot, some moviegoers may be able to guess most of the turns in a thriller movie.
- Character Development: Some of the secondary characters could have probably been ascribed additional roles to bring more depth in the storyline.
Technical Aspects:
Technical features evident in this “Magpie” include the following. The camera work is done satisfactorily to portray close-ups of communication and big stuff when incorporated into the entertainment industry.
Key Technical Features:
- Cinematography: Laura Bellingham’s cinematography of this movie is rather impressive as far as light used in the movie is concerned thus making the film a masterpiece to watch.
- Editing: As Cow edited by Christopher Watson the movie has a constant tempo but to some scenes, the tempo should have been tighter.
- Music Score: I think that the fact that the score was done by Isobel Waller-Bridge; moves the atmosphere forward by enriching emotional moments without intruding on the words.
Performance:
The film has good acting, especially from its lead cast. Daisy Ridley’s portrayal of Anette has been widely lauded for the kind of drama the character brings on – and how Ridley handles it. Even Shazad Latif has done quite well portraying Ben, and fighting for pleasure against the typical South Asian ethic of responsibility towards family.
Notable Performances:
- Daisy Ridley as Anette: It should also be noted that Ridley’s portrayal is complex and punchy strengthening her heroine’s experiences.
- Shazad Latif as Ben: Latif especiallyamalgamates trouble to his role depicting Ben’s struggle of obsession with the real.
- Matilda Lutz as Alicia: Lutz brings additional attribute of charm and mystery to the character of Marcy and stimulates the turmoil inside the Ben.
Moviepoptime Review:
I kind of liked this film. Annette, the bitterly neglected wife of an aspiring writer Ben, is played by Daisy Ridley from the film Star Wars. They have it all with a lovely house in the suburbs of London and a baby. Their other child is six. These two are classmates at church schools; Matilda (Tilly) starred in a Victorian drama with Alicia. The movie begins when she gets a green light and successfully passes the audition. Annette goes to an interview since her previous boss seeks her to return to work at the publishing company with the newborn. Still, the baby makes so much noise that the scene becomes rather unfortunate.
As a result, she stays at home while hubby and Tilly go to the set each morning. Of course he and the leading lady, Tilly’s stage step-mom stir the bachelor material into an affair. It is a very evil, vicious triangle. After reading this Silvia I can see how far and wide that even mom goes to suss it all out. Between people’s obsession with their cell phones, the motif could have been made solely for Apple+. Ridley was wonderful as the ‘Woman of the Sea’ in the film. This is different. Like her less here.
Now she has her natural British accent during the remaining scene. Matilda Lutz plays Alicia, and looks every bit yummy in the role with her glamorous and sexy looks! Shazad Latif is well-cast as the duplicitous main villain. While changing sides the villain enjoys his character greatly. As such I will say it passes the time well engrossed during ninety minutes but, that is as far as I am willing to recommend this for. Ridley and the writer are married and that fact was never stated during the Q&A both of them participated in: it was like buying a ticket for two.
Conclusion:
Therefore, the “Magpie,” is an interesting neo-noir thriller with a focus on obsessions, betrayal, and the nature of relationships in the present generation with/a single entertainment sector involved. With leading roles played by Daisy Ridley and Shazad Latif, proper utilization of technology in acting, and Sam Yates’ direction this film is expected to move the audience by offering deep philosophically based stories. Styling and moving, thus, keys are retained firmly at times, although it slowly unravels fundamental predictable issues and pacing complexities within its show arc; but “Magpie” does create a more deceptive study of love and betrayal to make the viewers contemplate their relationships.
When “Magpie” comes out in theaters on October 25, 2024,” audiences will not only be enchanted but leave the theater pondering about issues to do with fidelity as well as one’s personality whenever fame influences the relationship between two people. As the plot develops a plot that is full of both tension and devastating emotional drama “Magpie” takes the audience into a world where trust is easily broken and betrayal can alter people’s lives.
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