sharp objects minus the munchausen and messina! jane campion explores the dangers that tag along with being a woman laden with desire — dismemberment, decapitation, death. though this story isn’t technically true, it mirrors the true crime genre by explicitly showing the aftermath of brutal serial killings, forcing the audience to witness the horrors that men do in fact impart on women’s bodies (oh yeah, i read I’ll Be Gone In The Dark!).
after watching this and Top of the Lake, i so wish campion (and women directors in general) had the opportunity to do more “true” crime — so refreshing to watch through a non-exploitative lens, never worrying about whether or not the director gets off on the violence. (well ... not to imply that campion doesn’t, because this is definitely more erotic thriller than crime drama. full-frontal ruffalo!)