SIFF 2019: "In Fabric" Review
There’s a character in In Fabric named Reg, played by Leo Bill, who is an appliance repairman. He has a habit of droning on about details of appliances. But when he begins on his monotonous rant, people in the scene slip into an intractable state of drowsiness; a state that I frequently found myself in watching the film.
With a plot concept as bizarre as In Fabric‘s, expectations must be set in the right place. The film tells two stories, one after the other, about owners of a killer red dress and the fate they suffer for wearing it.
What makes In Fabric potentially frustrating for unsuspecting viewers like myself is how little logic or reason is factored into the storytelling. In Fabric spends no time attempting to explain any of the strange and offbeat narrative choices, which could enhance the film for some while completely turning off others.
The narrative is distinct and the cast is excellent, but ultimately, “silly” is still the best way I could describe the overall experience after leaving In Fabric. And while “silly” typically leaves me underwhelmed, this is a brand of filmmaking that will likely resonate with a specific subset of horror enthusiasts.
After all, there’s certainly a classic style of horror art in practice here; something fans of director Peter Strickland might adore. The film just comes off like a self-absorbed model choosing a showy outfit: it’s far more concerned with how stylish it looks than how comfortable it feels.
Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 1 | Entertainment Value - 1 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 1 | Reviewer's Preference - 0 | What does this mean?