Women Who Kill entrenches itself into Park Slope hipsterdom – if obscure podcasts and locally sourced food co-ops aren’t your thing, you may not enjoy your time in Women Who Kill’s particular niche. Equally if you’re looking for a straightforward thriller/ horror movie, this isn’t gonna be for you; this film is more interested in the commitment-phobic hand wringing of its heroines – and it’s all the better for it.

Rather than dithering around with symbolism and the 4th wall, Women Who Kill confronts its themes head on, ignoring subtext in favour of doubling down on strong characterisation. This isn’t about the women who kill, but the women who find themselves obsessed with those women.

If that sounds horrendously meta and befuddling, that’s because it is. Thankfully a slew of great performances and Ingrid Jungermann’s steady hand on the wheel ensures that Women Who Kill doesn’t dive too far into its own premise. Her direction hits its mark on both the laughs and the thrills, and a running streak of great cinematography ratchets up the tension when necessary for a few memorable sequences.

While Jungermann’s Morgan is a little grating at times, her natural chemistry with Ann Carr’s Jean makes them quite the detective double-act; chances are you’ll leave the cinema wishing you could actually listen to their titular podcast. Fans of the seminal A Girl Who Walks Alone at Night will enjoy watching Sheila Vand relish another spooky turn as the mysterious Simone, although it’s Annette O’Toole who really chews the scenery as imprisoned lesbian serial killer Lila.

Ultimately a killer cast and smashing first-time directing from Ingird Jungermann elevates Women Who Kill beyond hipster overkill and towards something much more interesting. This macabre horror-comedy will follow you all the way home.

RATING: 4/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Annette O’Toole, Sheila Vand, Deborah Rush, Tami Sagher

DIRECTOR: Ingrid Jungermann

WRITER: Ingrid Jungermann

SYNOPSIS: Commitment phobic Morgan and her ex-girlfriend Jean, locally famous true crime podcasters, suspect Morgan’s new love interest is a murderer.