Sofia Coppola delivers a dark and suspenseful Southern Gothic horror film that explores the genre and feminine charm. When Amy (Oona Laurence) stumbles across the wounded Union soldier Corporal McBurney (Colin Farrell) in the woods, she brings the man back to her school for girls to help him recover from his leg wound. Miss Martha (Nicole Kidman) runs the school that has scenes the departure of its slaves and most of the students. The last remaining teacher Edwina (Kirsten Dunst) wishes to leave this place but with the Civil War raging nearby sees no hope of escape. The young and restless Alicia (Elle Fanning) is especially vicious when she first meets the wounded soldier, telling him about the warning symbol of a blue cloth that will bring the Confederate soldiers. The corporal admits that he is cowardly and jumps at the chance for brandy.
Amy seems to think the best of her discovery and Martha takes the man in, sewing up his wound and washing his skin. Edwina also takes a particular attraction to the man especially when McBurny awakes and compliments her in his thick Irish accent. Other girls like Jane (Angourie Rice) don't trust the Yankee presence and tells tales of the awful deeds by Union soldiers. Martha thinks about turning him in but when Amy and Edwina appeal to her Christian nature, they decide to allow him to stay until he recovers. The new presence changes the behavior of the women as Edwina starts dressing up more and young Marie (Addison Riecke) brings him a prayer book as a gift. Alicia sneaks up to give him a kiss during the nightly prayers. He stays up in the music room unable to move and hides up there when the Confederate soldiers march by stopping to check that everything is all right.
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Amy seems to think the best of her discovery and Martha takes the man in, sewing up his wound and washing his skin. Edwina also takes a particular attraction to the man especially when McBurny awakes and compliments her in his thick Irish accent. Other girls like Jane (Angourie Rice) don't trust the Yankee presence and tells tales of the awful deeds by Union soldiers. Martha thinks about turning him in but when Amy and Edwina appeal to her Christian nature, they decide to allow him to stay until he recovers. The new presence changes the behavior of the women as Edwina starts dressing up more and young Marie (Addison Riecke) brings him a prayer book as a gift. Alicia sneaks up to give him a kiss during the nightly prayers. He stays up in the music room unable to move and hides up there when the Confederate soldiers march by stopping to check that everything is all right.
Check out more of this review and others at swilliky.com