
Normally, “Magpie” paints a placid coverage but coiling beneath this is a violent feeling that is churning and is bound to explode. There are many reflective surfaces present that morph spaces into psychological places Glass panes, beveled three-way mirrors, and endless mirrors. Sam Yates is an English theater director whose productions, most recently the acclaimed VANYA with Andrew Scott, have won numerous Olivier prizes. Daisy Ridley, who plays the lead role and produced the story along with Tom Bateman, wrote it. This is his first project. More of a rooftop chase style with a riveting performance by Barrett, Babington, and Hutchings perfectly counters the often-frenzied action. It does, in some respect, resemble the opening episode of a scripted series that goes into great depth exploring how one rage-filled wife’s mind works.
Their hairstyles tell the whole story of their marriage. Usually dressed casually, Shazad Latif, who portrays Ben in the film, has his hair tied back into a man-bun, while Annette opts for an extremely short hairdo. There are things that you don’t have to say aloud like a manbun and short hair mean some sort of plight and suffering. The couple settled in the countryside around the time of Annette’s pregnancy. Ben is described in the film as a writer who hasn’t had much success in selling his last book, earning himself a somewhat monotonous portrayal from Annette who labels him as ‘dense’. (Sounds awful). It can be assumed that Annette was more or less low on the corporate ladder due to the way she behaved like a desperate, sycophantic ex-employee of her familiar publishing house when in her meeting with the boss. They inhabit one of those country homes reserved for chronically dysfunctional married couples in some melodrama-thriller. This pose has a lot of space and it is very new and the interior decoration is quite in order. This money is nowhere near what their combined incomes could afford this house especially since she does not bring in any income. However, it being a kind of thriller, since it is, “Magpie”, an impractical house is somewhat in the expected scenario.
We first come across the characters Ben and Annette when it all goes horribly wrong. Moving to the countryside had sounded like a reasonable idea. He’d have space to write; she could concentrate on mothering. But that never happened. Annette is bored out of her skull somewhere in the house and feels neglected and trapped. The couple’s daughter, Tillie (Hiba Ahmed), is roughly five years old they have also just welcomed a son, Lucas. It is possible that Ben is in the process of writing a book, but except for an eight-month time when he went for a research trip right after Annette had given birth to Tillie, he writes sparingly. Ben is so wrapped up in his new life on set that he hardly sees Tillie being cast in a film with an Italian actress, Alicia (Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz). This transition causes him to be apathetic towards the fact that his wife is unraveling.
But there is more, naturally. After some back and forth with Alicia, Ben begins to visualize himself as being in a relationship with her Anette is confined to the house, nursing a screechy infant. In no time, Ben is running off-Alicia has her teeth gritted outside and Ben is busy roused in the shower. It is tough to determine who is more infatuated with Alicia, Ben, or Annette.
Yates has a ball with this all, and as for the cast, even though all the action is almost cartoonish, they remain attuned to the details of the emotional background. Annette’s already disturbed mind is the eye of the inflammatory hurricane that’s all around, which makes her transition from a self-assured lady to an incredibly angered person who seems to shatter a glass even if she only leans on it. Annette’s nerves are labyrinthian and a bird banging into the glass window is frightening to her. There are times when ‘Magpie’ seems to be translated into a horror story because Annette’s passions are so unstable that it seems she has some superpowers. Keeping in view the context of the film, there is a possibility.
There is a larger argument here and it is the true fuel of the film. It is the orphaned Tillie whom Ben Hodges leaves for almost a year for his miserable book-writing session. That is absolutely despicable. Even cavemen knew that women in particular would require guidance after giving birth. No, Ben is quite the self-satisfied ‘modern’ Betty. She has to fend for herself. She has never forgiven him and she has not been the same ever since. Ridley knows these more important issues and one would imagine that for her that is the only issue. Now Annette begins to realize why Ben does not allow her emotions to run out of control and screams at her if she dares to do so.
He knows it is too good to be true and adds, “If I leave him my son will kill himself.” It is one of the most painful realizations one can go through. Annette takes Tillie to the movies, while Ben spends the day aimlessly around the house browsing his smartphone and dreaming about the pretty face of Alicia. When Annette comes back, she asks Sam, “How did you spend your day?” He is flustered and responds, “I was with a boy called Lucas. Nothing.” Ben’s interaction with his child is, in his opinion, equal to him getting “nothing” done on that day. To his credit, Sam does believe himself to be a decent human being and a loving husband and believes himself to be progressive and informed. The Ben type, one has to be vigilant of. And if he dwells within the parameters of a ‘man-bun’, all the more.
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