Highlights
- The thriller film highlights the essence that no one is a perfect villain or victim, which many can relate to real-life people and circumstances.
- Given the huge age gap of 31 years, the steamy love scene between Miller and Cairo ignited controversies among the audience.
- Miller’s Girl is not everyone’s cup of tea; however, the characters like Cairo, Jonathan Miller, and Boris Fillmore contribute a lot to the film’s dynamics.
Miller’s Girl is an American thriller movie about a teacher and his talented student’s complex relationship, which results from a writing assignment.
The movie stars Martin Freeman as Jonathan Miller, Jenna Ortega as Cairo Sweet, Bashir Salahuddin as Boris Fillmore, Gideon Adlon as Winnie Black, and more.
Miller’s Girl is Rated R for sexual content and language. Given its adult content, it may not be everyone’s go-to movie.
Moreover, early this year, on January 11, 2024, the thriller film premiered at the Palm Springs Film Festival.
Miller’s Girl Is The Modern Interpretation of the 80s Thrillers
Miller’s Girl
A thriller movie with a villain origin story.
Genres
ThrillerComedyDrama| Release Date | January 26, 2024 |
| Casts | Martin Freeman, Jenna Ortega, Bashir Salahuddin |
| Writer | Jade Halley Bartlett |
| Director | Jade Halley Bartlett |
Upon its release, Miller’s Girl promptly garnered significant responses from the top movie critics and the audience.
The thriller movie received a Tomatometer score of 29% green splat, which indicates that less than 60% of the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are positive.
Moreover, a user expressed his disappointment with the plotline writing,
A Pointless film where nothing really happens, the audience is left with no takeaways. Even with Ortega’s screen presence it’s dulled out by a script that leaves you on a rollercoaster rather than taking you down.
Likewise, an IMDb user rated the film 1/10, stating it as the same old cliche with no character development, given the actor’s outstanding acting skills.
Jacob Hubbard, a YouTuber, expressed his disappointment in the film’s editing and script. Regardless of being stated as a thriller movie, Jacob stated in the review that there is no thrill element.
However, a handful of the audience lauded the movie’s plotline and directing amid several negative reviews.
An IMDb user expressed his positive take on the film: “I think the movie was brilliantly written and directed.”
The reviewer praised the movie’s deep meaning rather than the traditional review of criticizing technical aspects like acting and cinematography.
He applauded the writing and direction while lamenting that many critics missed the aspects of the story.
In addition, the reviewer also appreciated the creator’s commitment to conveying a meaningful message, with high hopes that the film will be recognized for its depth.
Miller’s Girl Plotline Could Have Been Better, But We Could See Jenna Shine In Different Role
The review team at Belmont Film House found the film to be a modern rendition of old thriller movies with a twist on the cliche storyline of a teacher falling head over heels for a student.
The 2024 film centers around the story of a teacher, Jonathan Miller, and a wealthy and talented student, Cairo Sweet, a woman too intelligent for her age, who bond over their love of literature.
Despite initial intrigue, we found Miller’s Girl heavily relying on dialogue and stylistic elements.
Similarly, regardless of its potential to throwback to 90s erotic thrillers, its short run time of 93 minutes failed to deliver a compelling story.
That said, though the film may not be everyone’s favorite, the moral ambiguity behind their seemingly innocent and platonic relationship made it enjoyable.
What caught our attention the most in the film were scenes like them going to the poetry slam and sharing a cigarette, which highlighted the movie’s theme of seeking validation.
Get a snippet of the film in the trailer here:
Although Wednesday Star Jenna and Martin’s cold affair lacked some spark, their acting makes it a worthwhile watch, especially for those seeking something different from Jenna’s usual roles.
In addition, Miller’s Girl challenged us to see beyond entertainment, exploring the importance of film in portraying complex human relationships.
The film also sheds light on how often our emptiness can cloud our judgment, reminding us of the thin line between relationships that can lead to joy and devastation.
For instance, blaming one side of the story isn’t always the solution because no one is a perfect victim or villain in the real world.
Lastly, Miller’s Girl is a must-watch if you opt for the movie with just enough information to form opinions and take on the character.
