'The Girl with the Needle' is an Unflinching Look at a Controversial Topic
What starts as a slow burn has an explosive third act that will shock you. The Girl with the Needle doesn't surprise the audience with cheap parlor tricks for the sake of getting a rise out of them. It's made to introduce a highly controversial commentary to the light that we don't like to talk about. For most of the film, I wasn't entirely engaged. I'm not saying it's mediocre. But it didn't have that jolt like its final 30-40-minute act did. However, that's intentional.
The Girl with the Needle is stupendous aesthetically. Filmed on an ARRI Alexa Mini LF with Leitz HUGO lenses, the picture really shows the capability of digital technology. There's one particular shot where our protagonist is standing in the middle of the street. Although it's a head-to-toe body shot, the camera creates a shallow depth of field on its subject, painting a picture of a woman lost. Michal Dymek's cinematography is one of the most gorgeous black-and-white films I've seen in years, putting another nail in cellulite's coffin. The story of the film is impressive. I'd even say it's psychologically terrifying giving Art the Clown a run for his money.
The picture is set in 1919. The story starts with an image directly inspired by the beginning of Ingmar Bergman's Persona. Some faces approach the screen, moving at a high shutter speed, producing a nightmarish effect. There's no background behind them, just a blank, black canvas. Frederikke Hoffmeier's score plays an ominous, disturbing tone, as director Magnus von Horn lets the audience know from the get-go that they're in for a horrifying ride.
When we first meet Karoline (Vic Carmen Sonne), she's out of a job and living in a dumpy apartment. The building's landlord schedules a tour of Karoline's apartment, informing her that she's months past due for her rent. I understand evicting someone, but wouldn't they schedule a time when the tenant isn't in the apartment? I think it would be a good way to avoid unnecessary confrontation.
In her despair, Karolina finds a job as a wet nurse in an adoption ward. Her boss, Dagmar (Trine Dyrholm), takes her under her wing. What seems like a reasonable job for Karoline turns into a catastrophic disaster. At first, Dagmar seems like a good person. That's until the gears radically shift to a direction you'll never guess. As a nurse in an infant's ward, Karoline fosters and gives children away to parents seeking children to adopt. All while this is happening, she's pregnant. Karoline has no husband to trust as she's going through a messy separation from her partner. Karoline questions if she should keep her child or adopt them. If she's financially unfit to be a mother, then how can she raise her child? What happens if her baby is adopted? Will her child wish they were dead if improperly raised?
Some of the film drags in its middle act, yet it's understandable why. If the big twist were revealed mid-picture, the film would turn into yet another thriller with a highly disturbing angle. The movie builds a strong relationship between Karoline and Dagmar. When we finally see Dagmar for who she is, her actions are unforgivably revolting. It's clearly taking a stamp on abortion that I think is neutral. It's up to the audience to make up their minds as to what it all means. The subject material could have come off as shock value from a different director. Magnus von Horn does a phenomenally delicate job of tacking such heavy material. With incredible aesthetics, amazing performances, and an unforgettable third act, The Girl with the Needle is a movie worth seeing in theaters when available upon release. Just don't bring your kids to it. Actually, don't bring anyone who gets rattled easily.
The Girl with the Needle was screened on October 22, 2024, at the Chicago International Film Festival
