WOMEN WHO KILL – QFest St. Louis Review

WOMEN WHO KILL screens Friday, Mar. 31 at 7:00pm at the .ZACK (3224 Locust St., St. Louis, MO 63103) as part of this year’s QFest St. Louis. Ticket information can be found HERE

When anyone starts a new relationship there is almost always some hesitation. Most people will ponder, for at least a few moments, “what am I getting myself into?” “Do I really know this person enough, even if I love them, to not get hurt in this?” And what if our deepest, darkest fears about another person turn out to true? What if we have gotten ourselves into a relationship with someone abusive, controlling, dangerous, maybe even…..a serial killer?

Women especially have such thoughts, I have known several women who have told me exactly that. And what if both people are women, and one of them is a serial killer? That is the set up for Women Who Kill a terrific first feature written by, directed and starring Ingrid Jungermann who produced F to 7th and The Slope for television. I’m not familiar with those shows but for a first feature, which she also stars in Women Who Kill is confident, assured and, as any good thriller should be, tense, edgy, creepy and, at times, very funny.

In a simple set up Morgan (Jungermann) and her ex girlfriend Jean (Ann Carr) are more than a bit obsessed with, what else, Women Who Kill. They produce a podcast devoted to female serial murderers and even visit one in prison, Lila (Annette O’Toole). Jean and Morgan seem to get along very well, even though they are no longer a couple. Morgan works in a food co op, has the task of training new workers at the co op and thus meets Simone (Shelia Vand) a vulnerable looking woman with a Betty Page hair style. Morgan and Simone hit it off right away, but something is not quite right. Morgan being an expert on serial killers comes to suspect Simone might be The Clipper, a woman who killed several times and had the trademark of clipping the fingernails of her victims and keeping them. And she was never caught. And Simone is full of secrets, while Morgan wants to know everything. Simone has a special box, locked, which seems to be a reference to Barton Fink directed by the Coen Brothers. A couple of scenes seem to be inspired by the style of David Lynch. The theme of falling in love with someone who not only is all wrong but may be a dangerous killer echoes all the way back to Hitchcock’s Suspicion, and many, many thrillers that came after.

But Women Who Murder is its own special project. I have not seen a lot of gay movies, of films made by lesbians and based on the life style I particularly admire Marine Story, which is a subject for another review entirely. It’s interesting indeed to see a film where all the major characters are not only women but are committed to, and happy with, the lesbian life style. There are some men in Women Who Kill but they stay on the edges, where they belong. I believe Jungermann is playing with audience expectations by casting herself as the possible victim. Morgan is one of the most mannish looking women I have ever seen, she looks more mannish than a lot of men. Simone appears vulnerable and frail in all their scenes together, Simone is at least a foot shorter than Morgan. Yet it’s Morgan who feels threatened and starts to panic when other people say she’s crazy for thinking Simone might be out to add her nails to her collection.

And I try never, ever to give out spoilers, but Women Who Kill does not end as you might think it would. I truly did not see the ending coming and that is one of the highest compliments I can say about any movie. Some of the acting is a bit amateurish, as you would expect in a low budget independent movie. But all the major characters are spot on, a stand out is Shannon Patricia O’Neill as Alex played as what many people think of when they hear the word lesbian, a heavy set mannish woman with a weird haircut, wearing men’s clothes and calling other women “dude!” She steals every scene she’s in and needs to have her own movie. We even get a women’s’ softball game, which I have been assured by lesbian friends of mine really is a major lesbian obsession. Women Who Kill is a terrific piece of work, it deserves a wider audience than just members of the LGBT community.