International Responses to American Mary

"“American Mary” has a concept that transcends the horror genre. In many ways the film is political commentary piece, a feminist vignette and a tragedy, with a certain Alice in Wonderland deliriousness that has earned the film a strong cult following. American Mary follows the career journey, and eventually the spiritual degradation, that occurs to an idealistic young woman who abandons the legitimate surgery field in order to go into underground body modification." - Horror Nerds (full article)

 "I am in love with American Mary. 

To say that the Twisted Twins latest film is one of the most anticipated horror films of the past year would be an amazing understatement. I myself couldn't wait to get a hold of the film in some form. It wasn't until the recent UK release that I was happily satiated with the exploits of Mary and her surgical saws. Thank baby Jesus for region-free Blu-Ray players.

I wanna start off by saying that this film looks incredible. The visionary sisters have definitely honed their knowledge of filmmaking since their debut, Dead Hooker in a Trunk. Just watching the film on mute shows that they truly know how to frame a picture. Scene after scene, the eye is treated to works of art. The color depth and the way the film is shot is breath-taking and truly makes American Mary a spectacle to behold." - Film Deviant (full article)

"Now that's a film, especially how they didn't use "Bloody Mary" as the actual title of the movie, but just a name given to her throughout the movie. I loved it. It had a touch of revenge with that torture twist. Katharine Isabelle, was fantastic, she gave a fuck, yet she didn't.

Now, everyone...go watch this film." - Christina, Letterboxd (full article)

"In this sense what sets American Mary apart from the majority of other horror films is the inversion of the usual power relationships between men and women. Mary becomes empowered, as well as both feared and respected by her underworld associates, precisely because she is both beautiful and skilled as a surgeon. A scene in which a character tells Mary how he wished he had known her when he enacted revenge on a youth who was involved in the death of his mother reveals the awe in which he holds her. Ultimately, American Mary accomplishes something of a different order entirely to other recent films which similarly could be termed feminist horror." - The Quietus (full article)

"I get to see so many horror films that I often find myself in an eye-rolling situation when a tired concept is chewed and spat out time and time again, but with this film I found myself enthralled. The Soskas have created something original, refreshing and, considering the budget and timescales (only a 15 day shoot), utterly incredible. I refuse to place this shoulder to shoulder with other low budget films as this crisply executed piece kicks many larger budgeted films' backsides.

The subject matter is extremely fascinating and I found myself Googling the body-mod community as soon as the film finished (although I could never actually partake – I'm an official wimp). The film is so well done due to the amount of research done and such creativity on the Twisted Twins' part." - Horror Talk (full article)

"The movie flows beautifully smooth, you just can't fault the directing as it plays out like you're reading a book. It has a raw pyscho-sexual erotic feel in the same vain as "American Psycho" (without Huey Lewis) which is no bad comparison at all. Once again the Twisted Twins have worn their hearts and influences on their sleeves and gave us a superb film, I'd even say another cult-classic." - Raz's Midnight Macabre (full article)

"For the second film from the “Twisted Twins”, it would appear that the sisters have given us a less Robert Rodriquez type of film and more of a David Cronenberg affair, since it is hard to think body modification without thinking David Cronenberg. But what follows is a film that seems like a mix of different methods and styles as Katharine Isabelle explodes on the screen with a performance that I think will finally make people think of Ginger Snaps second now when thinking about her." - Zombies Don't Run (full article)

"The script is solid, the look of the movie is almost exactly what the ladies were after (it brings to mind the style of the better Asian horrors to have appeared in the last decade or so) and the effects scattered throughout are very impressive. Yet, what really transforms American Mary (pun intended) is the fact that it delivers the goods for horror fans who don’t mind some intelligence with their bloodshed and also stands out as something impressively original in a genre that can often be overcrowded with torture movies, zombie films, remakes and sequels.

I can’t wait to see what the Twisted Twins give us next." - Flick Feast (full article)

-Sylv

God Bless American Mary

 "American Mary is a dazzlingly audacious sophomore effort from the Vancouver-based twisted twin sisters Jen and Sylvia Soska. With this new picture, the sisters are on (at least for some) shaky moral ground (and/or crack), but happily, they maintain the courage of their convictions and do not tread lightly upon it. This movie is some mighty nasty stuff - replete with elements of slashing satire that hack away and eventually tear open "normally" accepted versions of right and wrong whilst grasping the exposed nerve endings of morality, holding them taught and playing the jangling buggers like violin strings. The picture will provoke, anger, disgust, horrify and scandalize a multitude of audiences - it's one grim, horrific and darkly hilarious fairy tale. On its surface, the picture is a rape revenge fantasy set against the backdrop of body modification, but deep below, it roils with the sort of subversion Canadian filmmakers have become famous for all over the world." - Greg Klymiw, Klymiw's Film Corner (full article) 

 "American Mary is a psychological thrill-ride that will make you question your own morals as it pushes your tolerances to new limits. At the very least, it will ask you how far you’re willing to let someone go before telling them enough is 

enough. At the same time, there are enough visceral moments with excellent special effects to satisfy gore hounds. There are some moments when you’ll be forced to “suspend” your reality, but if you go with it, you’ll have a great experience with Bloody Mary." - Evil Argento, YELL Magazine (full article)

 

"When a movie has been kicking around the film festival circuit and winning as many accolades as American Mary has, bloated expectations are to be expected. Does it really live up to the hype or is it now a matter of a movie winning awards simply because it's already won everything else? In this instance, American Mary is a rarity. Not only does it live up to expectation, it surpasses it." - Marina Antunes, Quiet Earth (full article)

"The practical effects in AM are gore-geous. Todd Masters and the aptly named MASTERSFX are truly disgusting. Yet, this isn’t a gore-fest like say, A Serbian Film. The violence is subtle, often just hinted at, or cut away from. When the lea

kage and cuts are shown they are unnerving, yet the time they aren’t shown, when the imagination fills in the gaps are almost worse. Don’t think the Soskas don’t realize this. They know how to get under your skin. How to leave a lasting scar.

The growth between their first film, and this film is incredibly impressive. Not only is the tone much darker, but the camera work has switched from a cinema verite style, to a much more stable style of camera work. It’s nice, especially in this world of found footage-athons, and shaky cam films which block out the sun. Imagine it, skillful framing, and shots designed to hold an image in the frame, and not zoom right the Hell past it before we can even appreciate the composition. Truly surgical precision is used in these shots. The cinematography is inspiring, and all praise goes to Brian Pearson for that.

There are still great one-liners, but the writing has also evolved. We are still treated to some familiar Soska themes and devices. The film stays true to the style they’ve developed, yet shows a whole new shade of black, all the more obsidian. If Dead Hooker was cooked medium, American Mary is positively charred." - Sean Thompson, Spooky Bloggery (full article)

 

-Sylv

Mary, Mary

"My initial assumption was that this movie would be a horror film or "torture porn" but it was neither. It was a deliciously beautiful movie that takes a very heavy and disturbing bunch of topics (rape, revenge, body modification, underground surgery), and presents them in a manner where the viewer never feels to queasy or shows scenes that are bloody just for the sake of throwing blood around. The cinematography and music were absolutely top notch as were performances by all the actors involved with a particularly strong showing from Isabelle who was numb to anything in her existence for the last 75% of the film." - T-MAK World (full article)

"Whereas Dead Hooker in a Trunk was a furious, ramshackle donkey ride, American Mary is infinitely more measured than its predecessor. Whilst it would've been easy to frantically pile on the berko body horror shocks and pummel the audience into submission, this is not that kind of film; the Soskas have kept the action deliberate and steady to let the story unfold at a natural pace. It is a credit to their prodigious talents, too, that each and every one of the human oddities and seedy crooks on-screen is carefully etched out in three dimensions as achingly human. Even Billy, potentially a caricature of violent, manipulative masculinity at its worst, is fleshed out into a real character. It cannot be overstated just how much of a quantum leap forward the Soskas have made in honing their craft. 

Strong performances abound, with burlesque dancer Tristan Risk mixing sad vulnerability and wilful kookiness in equal measures to bring the bizarre Beatress to life. Isabelle is absolutely mesmerising. Whilst most genre fans would agree that her appearances as Ginger Fitzgerald were laudable, the required acting range extended from "slightly stroppy" to "very surly"; here she delivers a subtle, nuanced performance which captures a complex character arc without ever resorting to violently unnatural behavioural swerves." - Finbarr Heather, Digital Retribution (full article)

"For a film that focuses so heavily on the surgical aspect, one could almost be forgiven for immediately thinking that American Mary could or would become nothing more then a cheap tawdry excuse in low budget gore. One would be wrong though

. The greatest measure of praise that can be reaped upon American Mary is that it manages to defy all expectations and keep its audience on their toes at every turn. 

Just when I thought I had the film pegged, the Soska sisters somehow managed to find a way to pull the rug out and turn expectations on its head. At one point you could easily mistake it for going in the direction of a standard rape-revenge exercise. Then in the next breathe you could mistake it for becoming another entry in the torture porn catalog But in reality, what it all adds up to is a rather deliberate character study of a woman being empowered by descending into complete madness making all the wrong decisions along the way -- whilst dealing with the chauvinistic pig headed men in her life. Strangely, it is a journey which reminded me of Sion Sono’s Guilty of Romance." - Daniel M, Confessions of a Cinefile (full article)

"A provocative combination of the horrors of a feminist Frankenstein with a fetishist twist and the visceral thrills of the “female revenge” genre, the film is laced throughout with a wicked sense of humour and a darkly erotic charge. Simultaneously beautiful, repulsive, shocking and endearing, Jen & Sylvia Soska’s thought-provoking exploration into the depths of tattoo and body modification subculture seduced audiences at this year’s Film4 FrightFest, being heralded as “Absolutely superb” by Ain’t It Cool News and “Unforgettable” by Fangoria." - Andrew Marshall, Subtitled Online (full article)

"Shades of Cronenberg and David Lynch are evident in American Mary, but The Soska Sisters remain filmmakers of genuine talent, whose debut no-budget cult film, Dead Hooker in a Trunk, was obviously no fluke. Be sure to spot a sterling cameo by the twins too, which points to them as bona fide Tarantinos of the horror world, but better actors. The only mystery is why the film is called American Mary. Is it a reference to Paul Schrader’s American Gigolo, another film that American Mary owes a debt to? This film will creep you out, but it will also excite you about the arrival of not one, but two, classy female directors of the future, who also remember the importance of the past." - Dov Kornits, FilmInk (full article)

-Sylv

Proud Mary Keeps on Rolling

"AMERICAN MARY is a superbly crafted horror drama that combines the surrealism of David Lynch, the shock and awe of David Cronenberg and the darkly erotic satire of Brett Easton – Ellis, taking the audience on a high impact, often gruesome journey into the underbelly of (Seattle’s) body modification scene." - Sangbad Australia (full article) 

"I really appreciate the way the filmmakers respected people with body modifications and allowing people to define themselves the way they see fit. The make-up artists particularly did a great job making the body modifications for the film.

My favourite part of American Mary is that it’s creepy, but not disgusting. I was expecting to see a lot more blood and gore than what was actually shown. It is a perfectly twisted world and the makings of good cinema." - Avihayil Genesove, lazyreviewzzz (full article)

"American Mary soars when The Soska’s play to their strengths. With their up-for-anything leading lady totally synched to their vision, they have crafted a shocking, slyly funny work of baroque modern horror. Delving thematically into myopi

c vengeance and soulless immorality as motivating forces, it is a vivid slice (no pun intended) of slow-burn, visceral terror and signals the arrival of Jen and Sylvia Soska as much-watch genre auteurs." - Simon Foster, Screen Space (full article)

 

"You may be surprised at how fresh and young the new era of trash horror films look when you see American Mary. The pale skin of directors Jen and Sylvia Soska has not seen the sun, aged under 30 and also not yet dirty on the film industry

; their outlook for horror is to present a movie for their “mother”, with humor and a good scare we all can handle.

It comes after their first title Dead Hooker in a Trunk shocked audiences with its themes and humor and broke the Soska twins as auteur filmmakers. With the orders of twin sister directors, who thought of American Mary together; we are presented with a strong female character storyline to concentrate our blooded fantasies.

The film is a tasteful exploration of body modification in an American story of the individual quest to be different. Look out for doll-parts, fork tongues and the Soska twins as guest extra actors." - Acclaim Mag (full article) 

"Flaws notwithstanding, American Mary is a bold statement from the Soskas. It’s masterfully shot by cinematographer Brian Pearson, remarkably acted—especially by Isabelle and Risk—and boasts fantastic practical makeup effects by MasterFX. The film contains a plethora of subtext to digest and discuss, and its central themes—control, body image, sexuality, gender politics, and empowerment—are wonderful to explore within the atmosphere of grotesque imagery. Although the film lapses at points, the journey shows a confident and intelligent filmmaking team, unafraid to make filmgoers squirm at the delivery of their message. Ultimately, American Mary is fiendishly clever, brutal, and a step forward for the Twisted Twins." - Chris Hallock, Diabolique Magazine (full article)

"This time The Soska Sisters have decided to down play their somewhat signature use of in your face exploitation, camp, and downright maliciousness; whilst steering towards a more sly and self restrained vein of horror. However do not let this sudden change of skin fool you, because if one thing is for sure about this sultry blood thirsty duo, is that they don't plan to tame themselves down anytime soon. Don't believe me? Try asking the guy at the Luna Leederville screening who cried whilst causing a row of seats to shake." - Alex Dermer, Weekendnotes (full article)

"I think this film is the best I've seen all year. If you enjoy horror, I recommend this 100%. I wasn't grossed out at all during the film, and there were no "cat in a box" type scares. I love the use of real effects over CGI. A female driven movie is a wonderful thing, and the Soska sisters are young masters. I can't wait to see what they come up with next! 

Everything about the film was beautiful, and it stuck around in my head for a while. Go and see this film if you can!!" - Natalie Woolaston, Gothy Two Shoes (full article)

"Therein lies the greatest charm of : while the character descends ever further into a dangerously violent mindset, her actions almost never feel unjustified and the audience continues to connect with Mary. This is largely down to Katharine Isabelle's knockout performance. Her Mary is vulnerable and confused, but copes without becoming too hard or unrelatable. Generous amounts of dark deadpan humour help keep the tone of the film surprisingly light throughout. 

Another incredible performance is Tristan Risk as Beatress Johnson. Despite her heavy prosthetic makeup, she manages to portray a woman pretending to be Betty Boop and still infuses her with enough of an underlying own personality to make for a very engaging character. The rest of the cast are spot on, too, and the soundtrack adds the last piece of the puzzle to form an entertaining, intelligent film about how our choices influence our lives and about how sometimes the ones that look the scariest are the kindest and vice versa. I sincerely hope to be able to pick this up on DVD, as I would love to watch it again and again." - Lindis Kipp, Eye For Film (full article)

"I know this all sounds crazy, and believe me it is, but it’s all done so damned well. What could have been just another “revenge” movie becomes so much more under the brilliant direction of the Twisted Twins and the fantastic acting of their cast. Katharine Isabelle’s portrayal of Mary as a sexy, smart and strong woman transforming from a doe-eyed medical student to…well, what she becomes is truly something to behold. Not to be overlooked is Tristan Risk’s remarkable performance as Beatress who is incredibly bizarre but so sweet that you look past her weirdness. The Twisted Twins themselves even make a fun appearance as potential patients of Dr. Mary. 

I can honestly say, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that “American Mary” is on my very short list of the best horror films of 2012. Well done ladies, I cannot wait to see what beautiful insanity you bring us next." - Larry Dwyer, Horror Movie News (full article)

"AMERICAN MARY is certainly one of the most original and well-written films that I have ever watched. So much so, that in the future I can see it on ‘essential horror films to watch’ lists all over the world. I’m not the only one who sees t

his though, as Universal Pictures have picked up the film for international distribution. If you haven’t seen this film yet, then I suggest you see it as soon as possible!"

 - Leyla Richardson, Bloody Mess (full article)

-Sylv

Monster Pictures & Monsterfest are Bringing Down Bloody Mary

Hello Australia! Jen & I are coming to MONSTERFEST and we're bringing our AMERICAN MARY with us to close the fest followed by the AMERICAN MARY PARTY which will go late in the sexy bowels of the morning.

Fancy a night of bloody scalpel fun? But don't only take my word for it --

“American Mary is shocking, sad, darkly comical and incredibly impressive. The Soskas are now officially a force to be reckoned with.” Shock to you Drop.com  

“It’s energetic, and smart. It’s dark, yet incredibly beautiful, just like the lovely Soska sisters…horror needs more directors like the Soskas.” Screeninvasion.com

“Katharine Isabelle (GINGER SNAPS) is brilliant, erotic, funny, and frightening in the lead role” Bloody Disgusting.com 

“This film will make you consider cutting your tongue in half.” Badassdigest.com 

“AMERICAN MARY is the most emotionally accurate, bravest, best-made horror film I have ever seen… It is sexy, revolting, empowering and overwhelming all at once without ever feeling exploitative.” Aint it Cool news.com 

“American Mary represents a stunning vision and one of the most original genre films of the year.” Allthingshorror.com 

“one of the strangest, slyest, and most confident “female-centric” horror flicks in quite some time” Fearnet.com 

“Jen and Sylvia Soska have made a film that feels deeply personal and filled with such dedication that it simply can’t be ignored. Book your appointment with American Mary as soon as possible.” Dread Central.com 

“Already the Soska Twins are the most interesting sibling movie collaborators since the Coen Brothers” Screen Daily 

“American Mary is a triumph and suggests the Soska’s are exciting new voices in horror cinema” Grolsch Film works.com 

“Put simply, good, gory fun.” cine-vue.com 

“American Mary is a rarity, an original horror film – hold it close and cherish it.” Screenjabber.com 

“American Mary shows that the Soska sisters are a force to be reckoned with… One of the best films shown at FrightFest this year” Cinetalk.tv 

“I believe American Mary to be an important and vital horror film… it shines all the brighter, not only for being wonderful in and of itself, but for having the guts to break away from its already stagnant peers.” Brutalashell.com 

“American Mary is a Frankenstein for the 21st Century” Letterbox’d.com

Get all your necessary bloody details from the full article here! This will be our first time in Australia and we are absolutely dying to meet you all in the darkened theatre.

Thank you for supporting our film and looking forward to watching it with you!

-Sylv

Introducing Doctor Mary Mason

Inside the Hollywood Reporter at TIFF. Here's our American Mary.

-Sylv

There Will Be Mod, Mary Reviews Keep Rolling in

"Original is a word that’s not often used within horror nowadays, which of Couse, is a shame, however, with this lack of originality in the genre, it only makes seeing a film such as American Mary that much more satisfying. Unflinching, shocking but somehow very touching and personal at the same time, American Mary is something new and well, I believe it’s something to shout from the rooftops about." - Jordan McGrath, EatSleepLiveFilm (full review)

"The twisted minds behind the cult smash ‘Dead Hooker in a Trunk’ have gone from cult low budget to Hollywood mainstream in one easy scoop. Capturing the imagination of none other than horror’s latest controversial director, Eli Roth. American Mary has the raw, talented and cringe inducing moments seen on film since Hostel and let’s get this clear from the outset, AM is not for the feint hearted." - BloodGutsUK (full review)

"American Mary is one of the very best films at this year's FrightFest, and practically guaranteed a lasting cult status. It is not only one of the few scheduled films directed by women, but also a refreshingly original take on the genre. In other words, while no turkey, it certainly has wings. Cannot wait to see where the Soskas will take us next." -Anton Bitel, Little White Lies (full review)

"The gorgeous Katharine Isabelle delivers a superlative, career-defining performance as Mary – an ambitious, vulnerable girl eventually twisted and sullied by circumstances that change her world. Her relationship with Billy holds a sweetness of its own, a promise of romance that neither of them really manages to drag to the surface, lending a multi-layered gravitas to their scenes together which, thankfully, both actors realise impeccably. As Beatress, Tristan Risk is an absolute delight."
- Pestilence, Dread Central (full review)

"The weird, strange, and often disturbing world of American Mary's body-mod setting is brought to life by special effects wizard Todd Masters, best known for his work on television shows like True Blood and Fringe as well as films like Slither. Remarkably, the movie contains no computer generated imagery, relying entirely on the old-school use of prosthetics and special make-up for characters ranging from the totally unconventional (silicone forehead horns) to cringe-worthy, Real Housewives-esque plastic surgery "victims." Oddly, it is the characters in the latter category who are the most compelling and disturbing to behold, especially when viewed through Brian Pearson's appropriately moody lens." - Rachel Fox, Twitch Film (full review)

-Sylv

There She Is, Miss America - The Remarkable Reviews

"AMERICAN MARY is the most emotionally accurate, bravest, best-made horror film I have ever seen, particularly given the Twisted Twins' current position within the industry. It is sexy, revolting, empowering and overwhelming all at once without ever feeling exploitative. It is the Twisted Twins’ story and they are asking you come to them on mutual terms. Watch Mary, enjoy her and face your own desires." - Dr. Karen Oughton, Ain't It Cool News (full review)

"If Rob Zombie is ever looking to cast the roles of Siamese twins Daisy and Violet Hilton in a remake of Freaks, he couldn’t do better than Vancouver’s own identical-twin directing duo, Jen and Sylvia Soska. Years spent cutting their teeth on the local Vancouver film-competition circuit combined with the moderate success of the 2009 cult grindhouse flick Dead Hooker in a Trunk have finally paid off, as the Soska sisters are now on the brink of something much bigger. Their latest feature, American Mary, produced by this town’s IndustryWorks Pictures, has been picked up by Universal Pictures International for distribution in the U.K. and Germany." - Rachel Fox, The Georgia Straight (full review)

"The screening got an overwhelmingly positive reaction from the almost capacity-filled cinema (an unusual thing for the morning slot). The directors were there to introduce the film and proved to be the most energetic, lovable and bat-shit insane people to ever grace the stage at the Empire. The twin sisters responsible for DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK (their first feature) were dressed in matching identical fetish outfits which mirrored the film's themes and proved to be irrepressible and honest story-tellers as they explained the genesis and production of American Mary." - Matt Nefarious, Nefarious Films (full review)

"Jen and Sylvia Soska – the directors of Dead Hooker in a Trunk – return with what may have been the most talked-about film at the festival. Ginger Snaps star Katherine Isabelle plays Mary Mason, a medical student who enters the shady underground world of body modification in search of a quick buck, and soon finds it taking a terrible toll on her own psyche. Brutal, gripping and genuinely horrifying, American Mary is the kind of film that FrightFest was created for, and should be sought out at the earliest opportunity." - Chris Tilly, IGN (full review)

"Ginger Snaps star Katherine Isabelle, gives the movie some real power. Her transformation of downtrodden but confident student, to awesome and deadly woman is a journey that many actresses would have difficulty pulling off. Isabelle not only delivers the role, she makes the audience love her from very early on. You relate in some way to the character, and want only the best for her, as she moves from the hero to the villain role, you still support her." - Spencer Hawkin, Views from the Edge (full review)

"Mary is a medical student hard up on cash. Body modification is a tempting avenue for her to put her surgical skills up to lucrative use. Wicked black comedy from the adorable Soska sisters and marks an impressive step up from their fun Dead Hooker in a Trunk. Katharine Isabelle is iconic in the titular role. She let me speak to her in the pub. Cool lady." - Jim Drew, Letterboxd (full review)

"Picking my top film is a tough decision, but it's just gotta be American Mary, from the Twisted Twins – better known as Jen and Sylvia Soska. It's an astounding piece of work from the makers of the indie hit Dead Hooker in a Trunk from a couple of years ago. Mary is such an astonishing leap forward in every way, that I cannot wait to see what they do next. Jen and Sylvia are also two of the nicest, sweetest and huggiest people I've ever met, and easily my favourite guests of the weekend (sorry, Ross)." - Stuart O'Connor, Screenjabber (full review)

"American Mary is never as much fun as this in its second half, as the tone turns more downcast and literally horrifying, but the shift is steadily conducted and absolutely in the spirit of what preceded it. The transformation of Mary from reluctant surgeon to willing torturer is firmly justified by a disturbing mid-film scene upon which everything else can be said to rest. Needless to say, the Soska Sisters don’t wimp out when it comes to the crunch, and the film doesn’t end how one might have anticipated, a testament to their unyielding, daring vision." - Shaun Munro, What Culture (full review)

"Katharine Isabelle, who briefly took the trip from obscurity to genre superstar in the acclaimed but still criminally underrated ‘Ginger Snaps’ (2000) and, although she’s appeared in a lot of films and TV shows since then has never re-attained that status, deserves a place in the pantheon of horror greats purely on the strength of this performance alone. I know that sounds gushy but wait until you see the film. Mary is one of the most perfect of monsters because we can appreciate how she was created and what she must do to survive. It’s absolutely perfect that ‘Universal’ – original caretakers of Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolfman – are the studio distributing this film. 

I also want to briefly mention Burlesque dancer Tristan Risk’s scene stealing performance as Beatress. Beatress is a terrific character, a touchingly distorted homage to Betty Boop whose scenes with Mary crackle with truth, humour and vulnerability. Beatress is so endearingly three dimensional she could easily carry a film on her own. Most movies are lucky to have one stand-out character. ‘American Mary’ has the double whammy of Mary and Beatress, two completely original and multi-textured characters who truly confirm the Soska sisters’ film making genius." - Ian White, Movie Ramblings (full review)

-Sylv

Hail Mary, the Reviews are Coming in

"A vast step forward from the Soska twins’ 2009 feature debut Dead Hooker In A Trunk, this retains the energy and perversity of that shaggy dog story but with far more tact, control and intelligence.  Built around a showcase performance from Katharine Isabelle (who impressed a decade ago in Ginger Snaps), American Mary is an entry in the horror-of-plastic surgery sub-genre of Georges Franju’s Eyes Without A Face and Jesus Franco’s The Awful Dr Orloff, rooted in the recent, real, fascinating phenomenon of body modification." - Kim Newman, Screen Daily (full review)  

"Isabelle rightly steals the show courtesy of her smouldering and deranged central performance, remaining charming throughout despite the horrors she ultimately commits. There is something of Lucrezia Borgia about her character; an intelligent, sexy and deadly woman who knows what she wants and observes no boundaries as to how she achieves her goals." - Joe Walsh, Cine-Vue (full review) 

"Brian Pearson's expressionist photography also lends the movie a stylish but sleazy neon-noir gloss that sits ever so well with the narrative and subtext that acknowledges appearance can be utterly deceptive. Another neat trick the Soskas pull is never allowing things to descend into cheap torture porn antics. In fact, it’s the antithesis of such concerns and empty kicks. Mary might grow addicted to the benefits of her extra-curricular activities but even when seeking revenge, she’s not a stereotypical femme on a rampage. And although gory in places, the film goes for subtlety and suggestion over OTT blood baths." - Martyn Conterio, Grolsch Film Works (full review)

"The Soska sisters’ confidence comes across in their restraint. Gore is rarely lingered upon and sometimes not shown at all. Mary may toy with a scalpel for agonising seconds before a cut to a surgical textbook, although there are some winc

e-inducing moments. The second half of the film doesn’t behave how you’d expect it to, avoiding predictable escalation in favour of developing mood. There’s also a welcome David Lynch influence at work here, from the lighting to the off-kilter sense of humour (not to mention the fact that Katharine Isabelle looks a lot like Sheryl Lee at times). Speaking of Isabelle, this film is her biggest role since the Ginger Snaps films and she gives a terrific performance, playing Mary’s journey into disillusionment and detachment beautifully." - Jonathan Hatfull, Cinetalk (full review)

"American Mary pays tribute to other horror films and traditions in a subtle way. It’s apt that the film has been picked up by Universal, as Mary herself is, in many ways, a classic horror monster. She’s sympathetic and she’s vulnerable – and she’s deadly. If Robin Wood’s argument that in classic horror the monster and the heroine – and that’s heroine, not protagonist – are allowed moments of recognition in each other, then in Mary we see both, combined, and she is the one who drives the story." - Nia Edwards-Behi, Brutal as Hell (full review)

"There are many things to admire about the Soska’s sophomore effort. It looks fantastic for a start thanks to cinematographer Brian Pearson, and the acting is top notch especially by Katherine Isabelle who plays Mary as an impenetrable ice-queen who is clearly one step away from falling into the abyss, along with the aforementioned Tristan Risk and a uniformly strong supporting cast. American Mary is also not entirely what I’d expected, and I would say that it benefitted as a result. What I got was something altogether unusual, a world where people do not look or act like you’d expect. As much as I hate to use this term, it really is the best way to describe the characters in the film: they are undeniably Lynchian, providing something that is on one hand completely believable but on the other entirely unimaginable. This in itself is American Mary’s strong suit, and by giving the audience this surreal feeling of the uncanny it often results in unexpected but not unwelcome humour." - Stephanie Scaife, Brutal as Hell (full review) 

"American Mary rocked my world and for this to find its way into the hands of Universal is a big step forward, whilst it’s big label competitors churn out mind numbing rehashes of the same old stories like THE POSSESSION, American Mary is a step in the right direction and a truly tough sell as Mary’s bag has so many genre twists in it that it’s not just a horror or thriller, it’s a whole range of genres rolled in to one which makes this a film which will appeal to almost anyone with a strong stomach but then again there’s also a chance that this film will disgust as equally as it enthrals. 

Much like the character Mary this is a film which has the guts, drive and emotion to go up against anything when the opportunity arises." - Clifford Green, Box Office BUZ (full review)

"The humour is black, the script sharp and often hilarious, and the film is anchored by Isabelle’s dry, wry and (occasionally) psychotic performance. The film, as a whole, felt like a great cult novel – smart, fun, occasionally tragic, often brutal, and absolutely fantastic from start to finish. Friends beware – I’ll be forcing this one on you as soon as it’s officially out." - John R Forth, Wordpress (full review) 

"There are plenty of crowd-pleasing gross-out moments, but the strong performances, good cinematography (the smoky bar looks incredible), interesting choice of classical music (interspersed in a rock score by Kevin James Maher), quick pacing, and disturbingly convincing prosthetics elevate this above most horror films, including the others I saw. Verdict: Strong recommend." - Martin Jensen, Assume Yes (full review)

"Isabelle is nothing short of excellent in American Mary and gives us an anti-heroine we can all champion. She peppers her performance with a dark side that could ultimately drag her down and to see her slow descent is both captivating and disturbing. She also handles the comedy with a deft touch – showcasing Isabelle as a severely underrated talent." - Jason Palmer, Entertainment Focus (full review) 

"While American Mary has its fair share of gnarly slicing and reconfiguring of flesh, it is not really as concerned with being gory and disgusting as it is with being sexy and alluring. The initial strangeness and repulsion that Mason feels upon encountering the members of the subculture quickly fades away. Initially as it supplies much needed cash, but later when horrific events in ‘normal’ society damage her, it becomes empowering. The audience is presented with two options, to either leave the theatre or to go with this. The Soska sisters do not at any point present the subculture of extreme body modification and its participants as negative or evil. The movie is not only non-judgemental, but actively positive. This feels like genuinely transgressive stuff."- Stuart Barr, Screenjabber (full review)

-Sylv