Claire (Najarra Townsend) isn’t your average stylist. She’s exceptionally good at her job and once in a while, she drugs her clientele and scalps them so that she can become them. No biggie. When Olivia (Brea Grant), one of her regular clients, enlists her help to give her the perfect wedding look, Claire believes that she’s finally found a friend. So, she boards up her serial killer lair and tries her best to lead a normal life. If you were to stop the movie around this point, you could tell yourself that everything works out for the best!
The Stylist does something that few films of its type can do. It puts a fresh spin on the tired old formula of the serial killer film with its ethereal, colorful style and grotesque beauty. The feature film debut of director Jill Gevargizian is exquisitely shot and very well written. I especially like how no matter how sympathetic its central character may seem, you never let your guard down because you just know bad terribleness is about to go down. Just because she’s got a freakin’ cute dog, do not trust this lady! While The Stylist does have some unexpected twists along the way, it’s easy to see how Claire’s story is going to end the moment she agrees to help Olivia out. That being said, the tension constantly builds, and thanks to Najarra Townsend’s heart wrenching performance, the film is riveting throughout its running time.
Gevargizian relishes in the regional film-making of Kansas City, Missouri (especially in the behind-the-scenes features on the Blu-ray) and makes the most of its wintry locations. The dilapidated old house where Claire lives makes for an awesome centerpiece. The lush cinematography of Robert Patrick Stern is simply stunning to behold and the dreamy score by Nicholas Elert is one of the best I’ve heard this year. His main theme is still floating around in my brain! While I can’t help but think of Lucky McKee’s May (2002), as it set the standard for films about women serial killers, The Stylist is an absolute original and totally worth your time. And besides, who doesn’t want to watch people getting their perfect though final haircut? Seriously, name one person.
Arrow Video’s Blu-ray for The Stylist is an outstanding release. It looks and sounds fantastic and has more extras than you can shake your hair follicles at. There’s an audio commentary with Jill Gevargizian and Najarra Townsend who discuss all kinds of trivia about the film and the challenges of indie film-making. The disc also contains a fascinating video essay by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas that will give your brain a lot to chew on. There’s numerous featurettes about how The Stylist was made and while it looked like hard work, you really get the feeling that this was a great experience for all parties involved. The limited edition comes with a soundtrack CD (though I was a little disappointed that it didn’t feature more of Elert’s music), a booklet with an essay by critic Emma Westwood, and a poster for The Stylist.