The neon demon (2016)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
	Actors: Elle Fanning, Jena Malone
	Country: F, DK, USA
	Genre: Drama
	Conditions of visioning: 20.06.2016, Schauburg, OV Sneak Preview, English version
Synopsis: When aspiring model Jesse (Fanning) moves to Los Angeles, she makes one friend Ruby (Malone) who is going to introduce her in town. Her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will take any means necessary to get what she has.
Review: The originality of Refn is to idealise both beauty and youthnot only by showing it, but also by showing it dying. In the first take, I was thinking about the "all beauty must die" written by Nick Cave. And the visual spleen goes on all along the movie. For many people maybe not so easy as the story itself gets diffuse. And reappears in a very dramatic end.  The acting of Fanning might seem easy, but to do it during relatively long takes, maybe not. It was very funny to see Keanu Reeves in such a both nice and rough role. Refn uses the music and visual (the colours, the abstract lights and shapes) with a lot of subtlety. And this is what I love in this movie. It may look very experimental but it has a large aura because of the dramatic and anyhow touching story. As in the movies of David Lynch, The neon demon can create emotions out of a story without exaggerating it here and there, but by using all the means given to cinema, in a very abstract way: sound, music and image, colours.  The movie is either a nice (and maybe revealing) experience or a great movie, depending whether one is used to experimental movies or not.
Rating: 8 /10