Nathaniel Clark – A&E Editor

nuc5002@psu.edu

Photo Credit: A24

(The following review contains spoilers for both “X” (2022) and “Pearl”)

On September 16, A24 released Ti West’s “Pearl” into movie theaters across the United States. Labeled as a psychological slasher, the film was co-written by West and Mia Goth, the film’s lead actor. As hinted by the film’s subtitle, “Pearl” is an “X-traordinary Origin Story” which acts as a prequel to Ti West’s previous film “X” and has Mia Goth reprising her role as the villain Pearl in her own origin story. 

For anyone who has not seen “X,” let me give you a quick rundown. The film is set in 1979 and follows a group of young filmmakers who set out to make an adult film in rural Texas. When their reclusive, elderly hosts catch them in the act, the cast finds themselves fighting for their lives. One of these elderly hosts is Pearl who ends up being the first to eliminate one of the cast members, decapitating the cameraman. Through a variety of scenes, Pearl is shown to have developed a connection with one member named Maxine, also played by Mia Goth. By the climax, Mia Goth’s two characters are the only ones alive. Facing each other in a stand-off, Maxine ducks a shotgun blast from Pearl which sends the old woman backward, breaking her hip. Giving her an advantage, Maxine grabs the keys to the truck parked in front to leave, taking the opportunity to crush Pearl’s head with one of its tires.

Set far from the events of “X,” “Pearl” finds its titular character’s story beginning in 1918. With World War I raging, Pearl’s husband Howard has been deployed, leaving the woman by her lonesome. Living on her family farm with her strict mother and ill-stricken father, Pearl longs for a more exciting life, becoming captivated by the films she sees at the local cinema and aspiring to become a chorus girl. Learning of auditions for a traveling dance troupe from her sister-in-law Mitzy, Pearl, now with her eyes on leaving her current rut, aims to do whatever it takes to score that position. 

With this prequel being largely disconnected from its source material, the film carries a different atmosphere. Part of this difference may be due to the overall presentation and set design. The story’s 1918 setting allows for West and company to make a variety of homages to the golden age of cinema. One of the more noticeable homages to class cinema found throughout “Pearl” was the choice to use Technicolor, a motion picture coloring process that dates back to 1916. Additionally, the choice of a fully orchestrated score for “Pearl” rather than the ambient atmospherics found in “X” assists in setting the overall classical tone. 

Along with the golden era homages come a variety of references to the previous installment of this series. With “Pearl” occurring on the same farm as its predecessor, multiple locations are given another time to shine. Especially the small pond in which another victim meets the jaws of an alligator, this time in the daylight. Throughout the film, there is a variety of Xs which appear, from the one which Pearl stands upon before her audition to the usage of the term “X Factor” to describe someone of special talent. 

If we are going to discuss the acting present in this film, Mia Goth is the only person worth highlighting. While the rest of the cast does a worthwhile job with their material, Goth shines like the brightest star imaginable in her role as Pearl. Her performance feels as if she understands every single minute detail and tick of our frayed protagonist. Goth’s ability to play Pearl is shown the greatest in the over six-minute, one-take monologue she delivers when talking to her step-sister. Being able to watch a range of emotion sway over Pearl’s face as she lets all of her thoughts flow through her lips, explaining her hatred for the family that raised her and everyone she had eliminated in the film thus far, culminating in the character wondering if she is a bad person. In essence, Mia Goth’s performance is one to be witnessed by all. A definite contender for Best Actress. 

While both “X” and “Pearl” are not for everyone, they are both strong films with specs of brilliance throughout them. Focusing on “Pearl,” the film’s brilliant writing and storytelling along with Mia Goth’s performance craft an experience that I desire to see once again. With the knowledge that “X” will soon be a trilogy, I await the series’ third installment, “MaXXXine,” now more than ever.