Dark Horse
Written and Directed
By: Todd Solondz
Starring: Jordan
Gelber, Selma Blair, Mia Farrow, Christopher Walken, Justin Bartha, Donna
Murphy, and Aasif Mandvi
Director of Photography: Andrij Parekh, Editor: Kevin
Messman, Production Designer: Alex DiGerlando, Art Direction: Dawn Masi
“I
don’t dance,” explains Abe to Miranda in the opening sequence of Todd Solodnz’s
Dark Horse. The two sit silently and
awkwardly during a wedding, as every other person dances (in synchronization!)
to a catchy pop song. Abe seems like, for lack of a better term, a honest
guy—he might be overweight and totally awkward, but maybe his heart’s in the
right place. Miranda seems uninterested to say the least; her eyes shout, “get
away from me.” So how can these two imperfect souls be right for each other?
Well,
it helps if they are both essentially psychopaths underneath. Solondz’s films
are always about how the seemingly innocent world of today hides a world of
destructive mental states. His most acclaimed film, Happiness, follows the cheerful suburban life of people who dream
of intense sexual perversity (its spiritual sequel, Life During Wartime, went sadly unnoticed in 2009, though it’s just
as great).
