Jesse is a beautiful, lonely girl new to the fashion industry. Photographers and designers immediately book her for jobs over more seasoned models. The film is gorgeous. The visuals are all so deliberate and often surreal. It evokes shades of Suspiria, Black Swan, and Starry Eyes. The synthesized, retro music set the tone. The slow moving plot and sparse dialogue allow the visuals to drive the film. Dread is felt throughout as disastrous situations are teased and then avoided over and over again. Nothing horrific happened until the last half hour. Those moments of horror are extremely uncomfortable and over the top, especially when compared to the rest of the film. Rein’s The Neon Demon, is an artful film that depicts the vicious nature of the fashion industry from an unexpected source.
