‘Significant Other’ is Surreal, Unexpected, and Fast-Paced [Review]
Based entirely on happenstance, I went into Significant Other almost completely blind. And I’m so glad I did. The less you know about this unpredictable effort, the better. The narrative goes to some rather unexpected places and the twists are likely to have a greater impact on viewers with less knowledge of what’s in store. With that in mind, I will do my best to be as general as possible and avoid giving much away in my critique.
Significant Other follows Ruth (Maika Monroe) and her partner Harry (Jake Lacy) as they set out on a backpacking trip in the Oregon wilderness. The excursion tests the strength of the couple’s union and eventually leads to an unexpected shift in their dynamic. How was that for speaking in riddles and generalities?
There is a multitude of factors that work to make Significant Other successful. The first is keen oversight from co-writers/co-directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen. The pair have dreamt up a clever and compelling narrative that is nicely complimented by great performances, foreboding camerawork, and a tense pace that never slows down.
Related: ‘Significant Other’ Directors Talk Their Surprising New Horror Film
As for the onscreen talent, Maika Monroe is almost unrecognizable in her turn as Ruth. Her performance in Significant Other is nuanced and quite different from any of the roles I’ve seen her tackle previously. Her mannerisms and her speech patterns are even different from past appearances. In short, she’s proven herself to be somewhat chameleon-like with this latest outing.
Part of what makes Monroe’s portrayal of Ruth so impressive is that we learn far more about her from her body language and mannerisms than we do from her dialogue. We see repeated clues that suggest her mental health is fragile and that realization serves to ratchet up the tension before the audience even has a clear idea of precisely what the hell is going on. Monroe brings the character to life with a certain mystique that keeps the audience from fully understanding her. She even keeps her guard up with Harry, so the audience is left to draw a lot of their own conclusions in regards to exactly who she is behind her protective walls.
Performances aside, another facet of what makes Significant Other a particularly effective genre picture is that not all of the best moments are horror-related. Some of the film’s most noteworthy exchanges occur when the leads are merely interacting. Ruth’s reaction to an unwanted proposal is completely cringeworthy and likely to resonate with anyone that’s ever sweated through an awkward proposition. Not only that, the intense dynamic created by the proposal perfectly sets the stage for what comes next. And I will just leave it at that. As I mentioned previously, the less you know about this unpredictable ride, the better.
The final component that makes the flick a win for me is the pitch-black sense of humor that presents at unexpected times. It’s not the overtly jokey kind of humor, more so than the subtle type of comedy that exists because of an awkward exchange between characters or a slightly preposterous statement said with total sincerity and conviction. Going back and watching the film a second time, I picked up on that even more.
The journey from where Significant Other starts to where it ends are wildly unpredictable. And just when you think you’ve got the narrative figured out, more information is revealed and you’re back to square one. This film is surreal and even utterly strange at times. It frequently subverted my expectations in the best possible way.
If what I’ve said has you keen to check out Significant Other, it is now available to stream on Paramount+.
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Significant Other
Summary
This tense thriller subverts expectations early and often.
