Thoroughbreds
Directed by Cory Finley
- drama
- thriller
The story
Lily and Amanda, two high school students living in suburban Connecticut, rekindle their unlikely friendship after years of drifting apart. Together, they devise a plan to kill Lily's abusive stepfather by hiring a lowlife drug dealer.
What it’s like
Cool, clinical compositions dominate this film: symmetrical framing of pristine Connecticut interiors, static medium shots that hold on faces while people say the wrong thing, and wide, sterile rooms lit by flat daylight and cold lamps that make the mansion feel like a showroom. Its palette is muted: pale greys, cream, and dull greens, with occasional saturated flashes of red or tangerine that feel like warnings. The score by Erik Friedlander is sparse, cello-driven and eerie, with long stretches of near silence where the ticking of a clock or a single dropped line carries the weight. The vibe is deadpan, icy and darkly funny, a cool unease that tightens rather than explodes. Pacing is slow and deliberate, building through awkward conversations toward a sudden, shocking turn. The emotional register stays detached, almost clinical, while following two teenage girls who sharpen each other's cruelty and rediscover a closeness that turns hungry and unsettling. Intensity is moderate: one violent act, brief and startling, with a lot of menace and tension but little gore. Sexual content is absent and language is sharp. Made for viewers who enjoy psychological thrillers, dry satire of privilege and cool, precise filmmaking, not for anyone wanting something gentle or cozy.
More films like Thoroughbreds
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved Thoroughbreds and we’ll explain which ones fit you.
