Set within the harsh winter of 1964, Eileen tells the story of Eileen Dunlop (Thomasin Mackenzie), a young secretary who works within the administration offices of a Massachusetts prison. Often ignored by her co-workers and treated like a child by her father, Eileen feels as though her life lacks meaning. However, things begin to change when a Rebecca Saint John (Anne Hathaway), the prison’s new counselor, storms into her life. Rebecca’s confident demeanour instantly garners Eileen’s attention and becomes something of a mentor for the young woman. But, as a friendship begins to bloom between them, Rebecca reveals a dark secret that threatens to undo Eileen’s entire world.
Directed by William Oldroyd, Eileen is a twisty thriller that begins as a coming-of-age film and spirals into an entirely different genre. Featuring some fun performances by Mackenzie and Hathaway, Eileen begins as the tale that speaks to the wallflower in all of us. Eileen is an innocent soul who yearns for acceptance in a workplace that cares little for her.
Set in the 1960s, the film does a good job of re-creating the anxiety of the moment. This is meant to be a world where change feels on the horizon yet social structures remain frozen in the past. This is a film which reminds us of the damage inflicted upon women within a male dominated culture. Everywhere that Eileen goes, her impetuous youthfulness seems to be snuffed out by toxicity and abuse. Struggling to find a place of comfort, Eileen feels the chill of her inner darkness as she fantasizes about killing herself. In order to help the viewer feel the burden upon her soul, Oldroyd keeps the spaces tight and the colours dark.
It’s a brutal world. And Eileen is trapped within it.
At the same time, Eileen is also a film with fury. When Eileen meets Rebecca, she is immediately drawn to her character’s confidence and sexuality as a woman. At a time when masculinity ruled the workforce, Rebecca’s ability to reclaim her power as a woman makes her unique. There’s a strength within her that Eileen cannot resist and she begins to draw from it herself.
But then, Eileen’s journey morphs quickly. To say too much would be a disservice to the script yet the filmveers wildly into the darkness with its tone and style. For many films, this wouldn’t work. But with Eileen, Oldroyd manages to navigate his shifting voice, providing a necessary jolt to the narrative.
Underneath the mayhem, Eileen is ultimately a film about freedom. Feeling oppressed in all corners of her life, Eileen struggles to survive in a man’s world. However, through her experiences with Rebecca, her inner fire is unleashed. Although she may appear on the surface to be a quiet soul, there is a sizzling ferocity within her soul. While few people take her seriously, she wants to believe that her passion matters.
And, the more that she believes, the stronger that she becomes.
Though increasingly furious (and shocking) as it progresses, it’s this passion for her freedom that fuels Eileen. By sitting in the darkness, Oldroyd taps into the devastation of abuse but also hopes to empower those who kick back against it.
Eileen is available in theatres now.
