Is Mia Goth a porn star who wants to be a Hollywood star or a Hollywood star who wants to be a porn star? I think I could make a case either way. Today, in the third of the Ti West/Mia Goth trilogy, she actually plays the former, a porn star looking to become a Hollywood star. Also, is this art imitating reality or reality imitating art or what?
Maxine Minx (Goth) shows up one day on a set hangar and nails the audition for The Puritan II, a slasher film “contrast” to her previous career as a porn star. Two things worth note: 1) It is 1985 in El Lay and the Night Stalker is on the loose. 2) Maxine is attempting to erase her own past with a fresh start away from a porn shoot gone wrong in Texas (as seen in the film X).
Hence, we can hardly be surprised when dead bodies start showing up around Maxine. We
can also not be surprised by Maxine’s reluctance to deal with El Lay detectives. Finally, we can certainly not be surprised by Maxine giving herself adequate protection. In a surreal scene early on, Maxine is followed and trapped by a man who could be the Night Stalker. She escapes this ugliness in a way that – hmmm, I don’t want to give this away, but it kinda key to describing our heroine—let’s just say she escapes in a way that truly earns the R rating on this film.
This is the way MaXXXine plays. Maxine is isolated. Maxine is taunted. Maxine strikes back. There’s a lot of Mia Goth in this film … probably because Ti West keeps killing off her co-workers, so she’s always the only one left. Oh, and this is Hollywood in the 1980s, so … coke (Maxine keeps hers in a goose; a throwback to X) are sleazebags. When you’re being stalked by an actual serial murderer, it’s hard to tell the difference between a user and a psychopath. I’m guessing that was the exact point of this very cynical film.
MaXXXine makes a fair thriller and fair murder mystery. I can’t say there was any true detective work going on here, but the audience is still curious as to what’s going on. I can’t say this was as entertaining or as fresh as either of last West/Goth hookups, X or Pearl, and there will be times during MaXXXine in which one will wonder how many times Ti West saw Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. That all said, MaXXXine was better than it wasn’t. I would love now for both Ti West and Mia Goth to branch out a little; you have both demonstrated talent. Now try making a different kind of picture than a sleazy slasher, ok? Just a thought.
There was once a porn star named Maxine
Who wanted to cover a clean magazine
She perfected her art
And landed a part
But she couldn’t escape her old scene
Rated R, 103 Minutes
Director: Ti West
Writer: Ti West
Genre: What do you mean this isn’t Once Upon a Time in Hollywood?
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Mia Goth
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Religious fundamentalists
