Jenna Ortega’s banner 2022 and 2023 exploded with interesting choices and nuanced performances, and 2024 looks to continue that trend. This year, the rising star has Tim Burton projects Beetlejuice 2 and season two of Netflix’s Wednesday on the horizon. First up though is erotic drama/thriller Miller’s Girl, depicting a troublesome student/teacher relationship. An R-rated seduction flick may not have popped up on Ortega’s repertoire until now, but as expected, she absolutely delivers. In fact, it is a role so great that the film itself cannot quite measure up. Playing opposite Ortega, The Hobbit‘s Martin Freeman holds his own surprisingly well. The issues are mainly from a script level, being far more of a straightforward drama with minimal thriller elements. Without the gnarly bite of 90s classics Poison Ivy or The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Miller’s Girl never quite reaches the highs its premise would suggest. Nevertheless, writer/director Jade Halley Bartlett crafts a competent movie that further showcases one of our current generation’s great new talents.
Despite considering herself “eighteen and entirely unremarkable,” Cairo (Ortega) most certainly may be the most interesting person in her middle-of-nowhere Tennessee town. As she begins a creative writing course with author Jonathan Miller (Freeman), Cairo’s intentions blur as the duo creep closer and closer to trouble. A new writing assignment involving emulating a particular writing style borders on pornographic, despite Cairo’s wildly impressive vocabulary. Cairo’s best friend, Gideon (Winnie Black), likewise toys with another teacher, Boris (Bashir Salahuddin). Whatever these two women have in mind for their supposed superiors becomes painfully obvious as the story progresses. What the script lacks in surprises it makes up for in uncomfortable dialogue and sexually-charged moments.
After debuting at 2024’s Palm Springs International Film Festival, Letterboxd became inundated with a variety of mixed reviews, with some praising the performances and Jenna Ortega in particular. I expect post-theater will be an entirely different kind of experience. Younger social media users in particular are constantly calling out icky age gaps, and for some the mere thought of Cairo engaging in any kind of sexual affair with Jonathan will be a hard pill to swallow. Several moments are unsettling without even having context to them. The first time Jonathan reads what Cairo has written, it does not take long for the masturbation to begin. How can his wife possibly become titillated at what Cairo has been writing about him? Jade Halley Bartlett leans into the treacherous nature of Cairo yet fails to take full advantage of her destructive tendencies. An erotic thriller soars highest during its climax, and apart from a few obvious takeaways, Miller’s Girl does not close out in a crescendo.
Perhaps if seen as a character study, Miller’s Girl is significantly more successful. The story unfolds in a way that does not judge either of its two central players, letting the viewer decide whether they can accept the blurred moral lines. Motivations are not entirely clear on either side, though there are heavy implications that Jonathan may not be happy in his current marriage. The attention Cairo shows to him appears to change his perspective and sense of self-worth. What is Cairo getting from the whole ordeal? At only ninety-three minutes in length, Miller’s Girl wraps up far too quickly just as it appears to get going. A greyish color palette and slickness to the feature make it stand out against other indie features.
Playing incredibly serious rather than injecting any campy fun may just be a miscalculation on Bartlett’s part, or a bold indication of the manner she wishes to portray the narrative. How can one shake the feeling that with some tweaking, we could have had a genuinely excellent nail-biter on our hands? Jenna Ortega’s presence alone ensures the film will have a fighting chance in finding a larger audience than a smaller indie typically does. Miller’s Girl talks raunchy but never walks the walk.
Watch the student become the teacher in fiery Miller’s Girl, exclusively in theaters on Friday, January 26th.
