In 1964 Massachusetts, a young, seemingly timid, secretary, Eileen (Thomasin McKenzie) becomes obsessed by Rebecca (Anne Hathaway), the glamorous new counsellor at the prison where she works. Their budding friendship soon takes a twisted turn when Rebecca reveals a dark secret.
Apart from one shocking moment, the only thing to make Eileen at all compelling are the performances. Hathaway is better than usual, though I did not buy how her character acts in the latter part of the movie. Shea Whigham is a malevolent presence as Eileen’s drunken Dad and McKenzie is outstanding, slowly uncovering her own twisted nature.
Otherwise the story does not really work. A lot of it hinges on the guilt or otherwise of one inmate, but as we never really meet him, it is hard to care one way or another. The trick of showing us Eileen’s thoughts as if the events depicted are really happening is used much too often and the story ends up lapsing into a contrived potboiler.
Rating: 5 out of 10