‘Miller’s Girl’ Review: Bad, But Entertaining

There’s a special place for films that dare to be completely bonkers. These movies don’t just break the fourth wall; they obliterate it with gleeful abandon. For too long, we’ve waited for a worthy addition to this eccentric canon and lo and behold, Jade Halley Bartlett’s ‘Miller’s Girl’ comes as a delightful surprise.

At the heart of any Completely Bonkers film lies a crucial trait: a lack of self-awareness. These movies refuse to acknowledge the audience’s presence; instead, they plunge headfirst into their own absurdity, taking themselves deadly seriously. ‘Miller’s Girl’ nails this aspect flawlessly, existing in a realm divorced from any semblance of reality.

Our protagonist, the titular Miller’s girl, is Cairo Sweet, portrayed by Jenna Ortega in a performance reminiscent of her ‘Wednesday’ character, delivering lines with a deadpan staccato. Cairo inhabits an antebellum mansion in rural Tennessee, surrounded by an odd collection of books housed in antique birdcages, with absentee parents who are jet-setting lawyers. Her only solace lies in the hope of encountering a writer, which, in her world, translates to attending high school.

The title ‘Miller’s Girl’ carries a dual significance. Cairo’s English teacher, Jonathan Miller (played by Martin Freeman), doubles as the object of her affection, while her admiration for banned novelist Henry Miller adds another layer of complexity. As Cairo navigates the peculiarities of her public high school, populated by a sparse cast of characters, including her flirtatious best friend Winnie and the enigmatic Coach Fillmore, absurdity ensues.

Bartlett’s directorial choices may raise eyebrows, but the film’s production design, courtesy of Cheyenne Ford, is a visual feast, from dimly lit classrooms adorned with Persian rugs to Cairo’s eccentric ancestral home brimming with taxidermy and vintage paraphernalia.

Yet, the true star of ‘Miller’s Girl’ is its script, penned by Bartlett herself. The dialogue crackles with a frenetic energy, reminiscent of ‘Gilmore Girls’ on steroids, peppered with verbose narration and obscure vocabulary. The film’s exploration of sexuality is refreshingly unconventional, relying on the power of words to titillate and enthral.

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While some may interpret ‘Miller’s Girl’ through a #MeToo lens, its essence harks back to the erotic thrillers of the ’80s and ’90s, infused with a literary twist. Despite its nonsensical plot and shallow character development, the film exudes a playful Southern Gothic charm, with Dagmara Dominczyk delivering a standout performance as the seductive Beatrice.