Greta

When she knocked Greta out with the rolling pin, why didn't she use it to break the big window - the window she ran right in front of when she was trying to find the key for the locked door

One has some hope when this movie begins. Chloe's character isn't very interesting (to the extent that I don't think I learned her name by the end of the movie). (I think maybe the idea of making her so simpering was so we could possibly believe her to be unable to overpower an old lady, but it doesn't make for interesting viewing.) But Isabelle plays her character very enigmatically. Who is this woman who is so desperate for friends she hides purses with cash and an ID around the city? But the riddle is empty. She's just a malignant serial killer. The movie is utterly lacking in the psychological game play of Misery or Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? firstly, because Chloe's character is too idiotically simple to engage in it, and second because Isabelle's might as well be a fairy witch as a human being (and frankly I have more sympathy for the witch from Rapunzel after seeing Into the Woods). At the point at which you find out Isabelle kept her daughter locked in a box growing up, you'll wonder why you're keeping yourself locked in the theater.

"Greta" follows naive, goodhearted Frances (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young woman who has moved to New York City to live with her friend Erica (Maika Monroe). On the subway one day, she finds a bag whose contents indicate it belongs to Greta Hideg, a French woman who lives in Brooklyn. Frances takes a liking to Greta, but soon finds their mother-daughter-esque relationship to be much more than she bargained for. In many ways, "Greta" strikes as a 21st-century return to the stalker fare of the 1990s, ala "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" or "Single White Female," and for that reason alone it is an adequately fun, all-around entertaining thrill ride. This subgenre of films, although not necessarily known for its grips on reality, has always been a source of great amusement. This is perhaps the most singular thing about "Greta" that audiences need heed before going into it, because it will divide its audience; those who enjoy these films for what they are will get a kick out of it, while those expecting something more innovative will be disappointed. As someone who finds stalker films of this calibre to be typically enjoyable, I took "Greta" on its own terms and found it a consistent, well-acted popcorn movie. It's implausible in more ways than it's not, its millennial characters live lives that make little sense (how many twenty-somethings live in a chic, 1,000+ square-foot loft in Tribeca?), and the threat of the film's titular Greta relies largely on tropes well-worn. So, why does the film work? Largely, or perhaps entirely, because of the commitment of its performers to the material. Chloë Moretz is believable as the well-meaning Frances, and Isabelle Huppert is unrelenting as the villain. Both actresses throw themselves at the material with so much earnestness that it's difficult not to buy it, no matter how implausible, silly, or frivolous the circumstances. Maika Monroe provides enjoyable comic relief as Moretz's out-of-touch friend, while Stephen Rea makes a minor appearance as a private investigator who arrives in a rather stilted manner near the climax. Taken on its own terms, "Greta" is a hoot; it's a throwback done well, and is one of the better popcorn thrillers I've seen in the last decade. This doesn't mean it's innovative or particularly intriguing, but it is engrossing in a way that is familiar, and it's fun enough to draw most audiences in. The material itself is well-worn at this point and the audience more or less knows the routine, but Moretz and Huppert's performances are the keys that turn the machine like clockwork. 7/10.

I don't know what film all the negative reviewers were watching - it certainly wasn't this one! This is a film that is well produced with a strong story-line and excellent acting by all the cast. Isabelle Huppert gives a convincing and strong performance as Greta that sucks you in to her mind. I don't want to give anything away, just to say that if you like a film you can really get in to and like a bit of madness - this is one for you.

This is a case of very good actors, the wrong director listed, but the worst thing is they forgot something: A plot. A total ripoff of a film. The preview is better than the film. The wotst part for me is, I like both lead actesses a lot, and Neil Jordan is one of my favorite directors; but wait, Jordan isn't the director! It's Stephen Rea, who is an actor cast in all (but one) of Jordan's many films. I wanted a refund after only15 minutes. A complete piece of trash. No one I have ever met in Ny City had more of worse lack of naivete, and I lived there 30 years. A joke of a film. Skip this trash.

I quietly found myself enjoying this one. Great tension throughout keeping me glued. Great acting from the three leads. However it wasn't without flaws. Found it unbelievable the father hires a PI over reporting it to the police. And the end when they say what would we tell the police... are they kidding me?? I did however like the take of a stalker/killer being a middle aged women and can imagine luring victims to her home. I also liked the twist on the friend who comes to her rescue rather than them always being killed off, so didn't see that one coming.

Right from the moment when Greta started harassing and stalking her I started getting irritated and felt like ants were crawling under my skin! Terrible script! How she never tried to overpower the cuckoo lady the number of times she had chance is beyond me! P.S. I only decided to watch the movie because of Maika Monroe! I'm a big fan of hers!

Just finished watching Greta, this my take on the film. Overall a good movie, well acted, done before it some scenes did seem fresh. The only minor issue I had with the film, even though it's not on for that long, if memory serves me right, just under and hour and forty minutes, the seemed to it's pace in some parts. Then in others, like coming up to the end, it seemed rushed, so the inconsistencies seemed dashed along the film. Overall I would recommend this film, see it, not the best but definitely not the worst. Five out of ten.

Whoever wrote the story line was not seemly a smart one, or thought everyone was that stupid ??? I do like the acting which is the only good part about this movie.

This film tells the story of a young woman who returns a handbag to an older woman. Little does she know that her life is going to be changed forever. The story is very intense, and it keeps me on the edge of my seat all the time. It does not waste any time setting up the story, and the first scene already is very very relevant to the story. Suspense and thrill are maintained throughout, and the ending is satisfying. I really enjoyed it.