In today’s world, your head has to be on a swivel, whether with the news, zeitgeisty trends, or Gen Z vocab, no cap. But that’s especially true in the world of online dating. It’s difficult to put yourself out there in the first place, but it’s even more complex when you decide to meet in person, particularly for women who may know very little about the man she’s gone out on a limb to see in person. Most often, when we meet someone, it’s in a communal setting. There’s a sense of even footing with many people around, but once alone, that footing may be lost as the sheepish reveal themselves to be wolves. With an attitude of trust but verification, Strange Darling enters the conversation. Not everyone is who they claim to be, and while it can make for a highly entertaining thrill ride of a horror picture, the idea of a serial killer looking for love is frightening to anyone swiping left.

Trying the best I could, I managed to keep from seeing many spoilers about Strange Darling. The details revealing Kyle Gallner (Scream 5, Smile, Jennifer’s Body) hunting Willa Fitzgerald (Scream: The Series) was really all I needed to know. Since Dinner in America and The Cleansing Hour, Gallner has had my utmost support. The characters he plays are bold, atypical Hollywood roles, and he’s never not been a superb addition to a cast. In the wake of Strange Darling, I feel very similarly about Fitzgerald. The actress gives a breathtaking performance in the lead role, which, following her part in Mike Flannigan’s The Fall of the House of Usher, should hopefully catapult the captivating star to more amazing opportunities like this one.

Still, If you’re considering seeing Strange Darling, it’s best to go in blind or know as little as possible. Stop reading the review now, don’t watch the trailer, go to the movies, and get your mind-fu*ked by director JT Mollner’s fantastic cat-and-mouse thriller. If you’re still with me after being warned, I’m not about to venture into spoiler territory. However, considering how cleverly crafted Strange Darling is, even a slight inference can plant a seed that hints at its secrets. Horror fans, this is the twisty and subversive stalker-killer movie we haven’t had in a while, boldly put together in a Tarrentinoesque grindhouse package and lovingly filmed in 35mm. To say the film gets my highest recommendation isn’t even the half of it.

Playing on perception, Strange Darling starts with a frantic Fitzgerald fleeing from a rage-filled Gallner in a 1978 cherry red Ford Pinto. The credits identify these characters as The Lady and The Demon and reveal, in Texas Chain Saw Massacre style, that the following is based on a true story about a serial killer who operated in the mid to northwest corner of the country, with this story marking the end of their spree. It’s also made clear that this story will be told in six parts, opening on chapter three. Typically, the idea of skipping around in the story would be a red flag. However, Strange Darling uses the discontiguous narrative trope to its advantage, concealing twist after twist along the way.

Beginning with a pulse-pounding chase scene, Mollner drops the audience into a story already in progress, letting them perceive events without context. He’s able to set a harrowing tone, but he’s also forcing the audience to react to the developing situation, judging them based on first impressions and actions. The audience is led by the crafty storyteller who has taken away all of the background information, building it back up through flashbacks and flashforwards, providing Strange Darling with a subversive story, the likes of which we haven’t seen since Christopher Nolan’s Memento.

One of the other hyped-up fronts on Mollner’s movie has been actor Giovanni Ribisi (Ted, Avatar) going behind the camera as the film’s Director of Photography (aka Cinematographer). While not Ribisi’s first foray into camera work, providing additional camera operation on behind-the-scenes footage for 2005’s Flight of the Phoenix, as well as music videos for Icelandic melody maker Jónsi and alt-rocker Beck. Ribisi’s work in capturing some key scenes is verbose, tackling intimacy and wide-open spaces with a natural ease. Meanwhile, keeping a taut atmosphere never becomes a problem, even with most of the film taking place in daylight. The way the final frames work is unforgettable, too.

Thematically speaking, there are concerns. The provocative conversation pieces and minute interactions between The Lady and The Demon are among the most enthralling. The most intimate scenes become fervently shocking with a consensual discourse into BDSM. But the audience learns more as the on-screen threats evolve. I do think we’ll see reviews over opening weekend with hard takes on Strange Darling’s violence and perhaps preachy finger-wagging against the film’s use of cigarettes. I, too, have fears when it comes to movies with a high chaos factor, leaving 2019’s Joker saying, “I loved it, but I’m worried about the audience that will latch onto it.”

Yes, there will be some that misconstrue the movie’s intent, the way frat bros with posters of Travis Bickle or Fight Club posters may not have fully grasped the concepts behind Taxi Driver or how purchasing a poster for Fight Club literally goes against the film’s anti-consumerist ideas. Once you’ve seen Strange Darling, you will likely understand where I’m coming from and the troubling mental health of its antagonist. Still, I believe the film comes from a place where every cause has an effect, with consequences catching up with the characters’ actions. Smoking cigarettes has consequences, too, even if they’re glamorized on celluloid. That’s the point. Danger lurks in misperception, mistaken beliefs, false assumptions, and bad information.

Regardless, Strange Darling is an intense, non-stop thrill ride that doesn’t let up until the credits roll. It’s a striking commentary with certain divisive tactics likely to stir conversation, hatred, and praise. This may cement JT Mollner as a new-age provocateur or, at the very least, a Tinder cautioner. The discussions that will follow viewings of the film may also be the most revealing litmus test based on how people react to the conversation.