Greta (2018)

Directed by: Neil Jordan

Genre: Psychological thriller

Rating: 8/10

Greta (2018) is a psychological Thriller movie directed by Neil Jordan. The story follows a young woman, Frances, who finds a handbag in the train station and goes out of her way to return it. The owner of the handbag, Greta eventually befriends Frances. What started as a wholesome relationship slips into a disturbing turn of events after Frances discovers more of Greta. The film examines themes of loneliness, obsession and manipulation through power dynamics in different forms.

The film highlights themes of loneliness, obsession, emotional vulnerability, trust and deception, power control and hints of Mother-daughter longing. The film highlights loneliness and obsession by showing scenes of Greta sticking closely to Frances, with Greta emphasizing sticking to Frances ‘like a gum’ and then proceeding to spit gum at her. 

While the film highlights such themes, Greta may also reflect something greater than just some ‘obsessed abductor’. The story also eventually reveals Greta’s deceased daughter and Frances’s deceased mother, showing a strong emphasis on a mother-daughter-like dynamic between the two characters. Greta’s overall character embodies the characteristics of an obsessed helicopter mother in a darker lens. While Frances plays the role of the ‘sacrificial lamb’ of a daughter. She emphasizes innocence and naivety throughout most parts of the movie, making her an easy target for Greta. Irony as a technique is shown through the depiction of the character, Greta. At the beginning of the film, Greta is depicted as a sweet old woman. But the plot eventually reveals her to be highly hostile and dangerous to the characters in the story, contradicting her character’s initial presentation.

When analyzed through a feminist lens Greta empowers women while also demonizing them. The movie does both by having Greta appear old and sweet, only to turn out to be the terrifying anatagonist, highlighting Women’s capability in a dark manner. The movie under a feminist lens highlights female vulnerability in urban spaces and female relationships. Female loneliness is shown through the main character’s shared losses of family members, with Frances having lost her mother, and Greta losing her daughter.

Meanwhile in a Psychoanalytic lens, Frances’s and Greta’s relationship may be rooted from grief. Their shared grief manifests into their dynamic being more of a substitute for motherhood, showing their unconscious desires.

Overall, Greta(2018) is an effective psychological thriller as it builds tension through emotional manipulation and suspense rather than explicit jumpscares. The initial slow pacing allows viewers to understand Frances’s vulnerability, making betrayals more impactful. This is further intensified through the performance of the actress Isabelle Huppert (actress of Greta) who contrasts her calm, polite and refined appearance making the character of Greta more disturbing. While some of Frances’s decisions feel unrealistic, they serve to heighten tension. Despite this, the film remains compelling because it explores how loneliness can evolve into dangerous obsession.

In conclusion, Greta is not just a thriller about a dangerous woman, but a story about emotional vulnerability and the need for human connection. Through a feminist lens, the film reflects how female relationships can become sites of both empowerment and manipulation. Through a psychoanalytic lens, Greta represents distorted maternal desire and unresolved trauma. In the end, the films reveals how trust can be easily weaponized, leaving viewers unsettled.