Ms Green and Other Lovely Beasts

Ms Green and Other Lovely Beasts explores a pet memorialist, Elnora Green (Lauren Koster), as she seduces her business partner, Parker Flynn (Rohan Singh), revealing her need for devotion and control. Both Elnora and Parker devote their time to preserving the legacies of famous animals, and these animals mirror Elnora’s concealed compulsions for desire and something far more sinister.

Despite its absurd and fantastical elements, the piece almost has a documentary-like feel to it, due to the emphasis on questioning Elnora’s inner feelings of devotion and its grounded opening. The filmmakers employ some incredibly creative formalism, such as a point of view from a cat’s perspective, which is a visceral and effective tool to put the viewer in an animalistic portrayal of seeing the world from their eyes. It also explores eye-opening themes such as loneliness and using lust for control as a coping mechanism to numb the pain of isolation. Lucy Joan Barnes, serving as the director for the most part, makes incredible use of the brisk runtime to touch briefly on intriguing character dynamics, introducing each character with unique perspectives. The switch to more gothic elements, with the use of black and white photography, can be jarring; however, the use of music and distortion in the audio is incredibly creative. Despite the shocking tonal redirects, it's an interesting stylistic choice to convey the imaginary side of Elnora’s personality. The experience is greatly enhanced by its evocative formalism, and the filmmakers clearly have their heart in the right place.

Lauren Koster, in her portrayal of Elnora Green, is terrific and deeply nuanced in her exploration of sexual dynamics as she craves control and seduction. This is enriched by the supporting players, such as Rohan Singh’s portrayal of Parker Flynn, playing off her seduction in a delightful fashion with magnetic chemistry that feels natural and profoundly engaging. While Mark Keegan’s role as Ed Gein is brief, he leaves a memorable impression, keeping the narrative appealing. Despite the film's budget constraints, the visuals feel incredibly dynamic as it rapidly switches from scenes in colour to the surreal black and white sequences, emphasising Elnora’s inner thoughts. It's truly a testament to the filmmakers' sheer ambitious filmmaking techniques and the excellent performances that make the more absurd elements work. Thankfully, most of the gags land tremendously, and the brief romantic aspects incorporated into the screenplay feel endearing.

Sadly, due to the film’s brisk runtime, it only briefly explores specific themes and character dynamics, and it's a shame because with an extended runtime, these elements could have been delved into more to anchor Elnora’s characterisation. The film also suffers from episodic editing choices and an anticlimactic ending that feels rushed and unsatisfactory. Despite these issues, the unique formal decisions and fantastic central performances keep the piece memorable and worthy of its efforts.

Ms Green and Other Lovely Beasts is a unique short piece, with an evident, distinct passion for the material that shines through its flaws. As a second collaboration from Lucy Joan Barnes, Nick Thomson, and Ali Causon, this is an impressive effort, anchored by a terrific lead performance from Lauren Koster, which explores a thematically rich narrative.