Ilana Glazer proves that she’s not a one trick pony with False Positive, a psychological thriller that couldn’t be more unlike Broad City. Streaming on Hulu on June 25th, the film is both written and produced by the star, who is joined by Pierce Brosnan and Justin Theroux. It’s dark and twisted, but with an important theme about trusting your instincts. False Positive had its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.
(Hulu)
Lucy (Glazer) and Adrian (Theroux) have been trying unsuccessfully for years to have a baby. Seeking the help of Adrian’s former medical school professor who now has his own fertility clinic, Dr. Hindle (Brosnan) assists the couple and Lucy’s dreams of becoming pregnant finally come true. But as she begins to feel uncomfortable about Dr. Hindle, her dream turns into a full fledged nightmare.
The film lets you know right away that this pregnancy isn’t going to go well, but one of its big surprises is the way Lucy begins to see things that aren’t really there. In that regard, it draws some instant comparisons to films like Fight Club and Black Swan. As the audience, you’re kept on your toes trying to figure out if what you just saw was real or a vision.
(Photo by: Anna Kooris/Hulu)
False Positive continues to get darker and darker with each scene, really not letting up until the credits start to roll. It’s smart about the way it disturbs its audience, not settling for any cheap scares while taking viewers on a pretty disturbing ride. Some of the major plot points are a little predictable, but there’s always an odd curveball to keep it worth your time to stay through the end.
One of the film’s most overt themes is about men trying to control a woman’s body. There’s certainly allegorical comparisons that can be drawn to both rape and abortion, although neither event happens in the film in the conventional sense of those terms. All the same, the basic premise is, at its core, about men taking away Lucy’s control over what happens in her life.
(Photo by: Anna Kooris/Hulu)
Ilana Glazer proves herself to be not only a very gifted writer, but also a serious actress capable of handling a wide range of emotions. While False Positive doesn’t necessarily appeal to the Broad City crowd, it gives her a vehicle to branch out into new territories. It’s the kind of film that you want to watch again to make sure you fully understand everything you just saw.
I give False Positive 3 out of 5 Peter Pan references.
False Positive debuts June 25th on Hulu.