Mildred & The Dying Parlor

By: Dana Jacoviello

Mildred & The Dying Parlor by Alexander H. Gayner is a weird twist on a fairytale, I guess one could say. It’s an updated version. The movie explores the role of teen angst and being misunderstood. Mildred’s life is not your typical traditional family. They come off as very happy-go-lucky (maybe too happy), oblivious couple that considers what they do a family business. That means exactly what it says. People go there to die. With Mildred & The Dying Parlor viewers will be taken on a trip of a not so gruesome, but horrific story of Mildred and her unconventional life.

This film starts out and continues throughout with Mildred (Zosia Mamet) talking, or rather complaining, about her life and what she is aching for as a teenager living in what she feels is a horrible prison sentence. She describes her mother Tutti (Jane Krawkowski) as a manipulative sociopath as they bicker back and forth through her closed door most of the time. Mildred is obviously frustrated with her current situation of being stuck in a not so commonly heard of “dying parlor.” Her father, Rick (Steve Buscemi), is oblivious and just goes along with his wife while Mildred fights her mother tooth and nail to leave her out of participating in the lives of their dying guests. She longs for the outside world until she gets a mysterious visitor that requests her presence, something that could change her entire world very quickly. The cast is very well rounded with Mamet, Buscemi, Krakowski and Evan Jonigkeit, who plays Howard.

Blood, gore and guts are not always needed to give one that chill of watching a horror movie, as if you are being forced to watch someone being tortured. This film screams, “What the hell is going on here?!” We rarely look at genres the same once we are exposed to a very different take on them. This would include fairytale-based storylines. Does it ruin the fairytale? No. Not at all. Little Red Riding Hood is, in fact, a weird story to begin with. Mildred & The Dying Parlor is along those lines, simply with a modern teen perspective. However, there is some intensity as to what happens when the stranger takes her for a stroll in the dark woods.

Mildred & The Dying Parlor also has this old-fashioned feel to it. The colors were very clear and vibrant, giving an almost Stepford Wives vibe where everything seemed planted or fake. But then at other points it seemed washed out, mostly surrounding Mildred and the father.  Much of this film consisted of Mildred and her mother having a power struggle that provides the audience with an up close and personal seat to Mildred’s dilemma.  Gayner filmed this movie very well to fit writer Ilan Ulmer’s story. Just as one would expect from what is mostly an independent voice.

Without giving away the end when the stranger comes, he adds a whole new excitement to the story for the first time after a depressive moment. If you know the story, you know how this goes, but it is definitely a worthy film to enjoy for a bit. In fact, the nice jolt to the system at the end finishes the film off nicely. If you like creepy movies that give it to you in an unconventional manner then Mildred & The Dying Parlor is for you.