Magpie ★★★★

Released: 11^th November 2024

Director: Sam Yates

Starring: Daisy Ridley, Shazad Latif, Matilda Lutz

Daisy Ridley shot to fame in 2015 with her turn as Rey in Star Wars’ sequel trilogy. In more recent times she has shifted to smaller roles, that have showcased her range such as the well-received Sometimes I Think About Dying and Young Woman and The Sea, both released earlier this year. Her latest role is as a suspicious wife in the neo-noir thriller, Magpie, which is also based on an original story by Ridley.

On the surface, Magpie may seem like a simplistic tale of a woman hellbent on revenge but has plenty more to offer as its twists and turns unravel, in an often engrossing thriller. Ridley’s Anette and Shazad Latif’s Ben chaperone their daughter Matilda to a film set, where she is co-starring with a famous actress. Anette has just given birth to their second child and is adjusting to a quieter life in the countryside, while Ben is an aspiring author who suddenly becomes infatuated with Alicia, Matilda’s co-star.

Annette and Ben have clearly grown distant with Ben often dismissive of her and Anette suspecting something may be going on. Where Magpie manages to set itself apart from other films that cover similar territory, is its script and story that cleverly upend our expectations and keep us second guessing. We veer close to Patricia Highsmith and Alfred Hitchcock territory and while Magpie may not quite scale those heights, the sense of ambition and shying away from cliches and common trappings is to be applauded.

Ridley again, as she has in her other recent roles, showcases a different side and one that is fiercely unpredictable. With her involvement in the film’s story with it co-written by her partner Tom Bateman, this is perhaps an avenue we might see her pursue further in the future. We can expect to see more of her in 2025 with her next project Cleaner, coming from Goldeneye and Casino Royale director Martin Campbell.

Away from Ridley, Latif is a steady support and there is some clever direction from Sam Yates that makes the film’s twists all the more effective. It is a slight but tense thriller that effectively utilises its sparse locations and minimal cast, building a sense of anxiety throughout.

Magpie is another winner for Daisy Ridley in 2024 that makes the most of its cast and premise, going in some unexpected directions and keeping the audience on their toes with intelligent direction and twists aplenty.