Harlan (Pascal Yen-Pfister) is a struggling photographer–struggling because he’s unable to come up with a new idea. However, after meeting with W.D. Frost (Timothy J. Cox) he realizes that the inspiration he needed has been there all along. That inspiration is his wife, Alison (Rhea Sandstrom). Harlan craves perfection, and he has some issues with his mental health–this combination leads to his project and his passion becoming difficult to maintain. There is far more to this story than meets the eye–this is The Misogynist.
There is something very likable about Harlan, and that comes from Yen-Pfister’s ability to convey this character. As he brings Harlan to life throughout the course of The Misogynist, Yen-Pfister is laid back, relaxed, and ultimately relatable. Even though viewers can clearly see that there are things that haunt the film’s protagonist, there is something about him that allows them to appreciate all that he is–because if he’s nothing else, he’s passionate. That passion is something that viewers around the world either already have and appreciate or lack and envy. While there are a series of twists and turns that exist within The Misogynist, it is Yen-Pfister, and his portrayal of Harlan, that truly interests viewers and allows them to remain engaged.
There is a conversation that occurs between Harlan and W.D. Frost somewhere around the middle of The Misogynist, and the two discuss how nothing is original anymore. While, for the most part, I believe this to be true in Hollywood (it’s hard to find a film or a television series that hasn’t been derived in one way or another from something in the past), this conversation possesses a level of irony, as The Misogynist feels new and original. While I’m sure that inspiration came from somewhere, The Misogynist, and the journey on which Harlan and his counterparts take viewers is unlike any film or television show that I’ve seen before.
There’s a darkness that exists throughout The Misogynist, and it’s, at points, difficult to digest. I can’t tell you what that darkness entails, as it will give far too much away, but that darkness is as terrible as anything that viewers might imagine. Now, while that darkness is deafening and even paralyzing, it mirrors the real world in a number of horrific ways. Viewers see these harrowing events and they imagine the hardships that might follow–and they, even more, can’t help to think what might happen if these events took place in their lives. Even though the majority of the world won’t be able to understand these occurrences from personal experience, they are certainly able to appreciate the sentiment and the difficulty present in The Misogynist.
There are two things that guide viewers through The Misogynist–Harlan and the darkness. As previously mentioned, Yen-Pfister is brilliant in his portrayal of Harlan and he manages to, through each and every moment, have viewers rooting for him–hoping for the best. But as the darkness creeps in the tone of The Misogynist changes drastically, and the journey becomes even more intriguing. As that narrative shifts, and viewers are pulled further and further into the story, The Misogynist becomes a film that resonates with all. It’s twisted and uncomfortable, but the reality is that we can all learn something from or appreciate something about the film.
Written & Directed by Chai Dingari.
Starring Pascal Yen-Pfister, Rhea Sandstrom, & Timothy J. Cox.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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