Program Note
Amanda and Lily are two estranged friends who reconnect when Amanda needs Lily to tutor her. Amanda is also a sociopath incapable of feeling the most basic emotions, whereas Lily has been tormented by her abusive stepfather Mark for years. Rather than focusing on college entrance exam, they soon come to focus on their issues and decide to do something about it; to become evil masterminds to orchestrate Mark’s murder. Throughbreds is this generation’s Heathers, with the director Corey Finley bringing out the best of his two leads, played by Anya Taylor-Joy and Olivia Cooke. Their murder plot is as unpredictable as it is bitch black. It is a rare film about a horrific violence that can be also be seen as ‘charming.’ A sleek and stylish film that sneaks up under you and never let go, Mr. Finley has created a near-masterpiece of murder-driven black comedy for those who want to fill in their laughs with gasps. (Jongsuk Thomas NAM)