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THOROUGHBREDS ***
Dir: Cory Finley (15, 92 mins)
A Heathers for the 21st century, Thoroughbreds is a deliciously dark twisty-turny psycho-thriller that makes the most of its two young British leads, Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy. Both are clever, but Cooke’s Amanda seems to have a personality disorder and Joy’s character, Lily, is paid by the mother of her schoolfriend so she can have a playdate. Lily hates her macho stepfather (played by Paul Sparks) and learns how to lose her empathy under Amanda’s tutelage. They engage in a scheme to get rid of him, utilizing a local drug dealer, played by the late Anton Yelchin, who is way out of his depth. It’s wordy but gripping stuff, the central duo playing potential teen murderers with witty glee. Writer/director Finley keeps the twists believable and taut, allowing his talented cast to riff on its Hitchcockian setup. Throughly recommended is Thoroughbreds.
Opens April 6