I must confess that up until just a few weeks ago, I had not had “Strange Darling” on my radar But after seeing this new thriller at a local movie theater and subsequently (understandably) learning of its critical acclaim, it is clear why it is already being mentioned as one of the most memorable films of the year

The film is a provocative, tense thriller in which nothing quite plays out as expected, and there is more than a whiff of Quentin Tarantino in its flirtation with a nonlinear narrative structure What is immediately apparent is that “Strange Darling” is a film that demands your attention with the force of a rifle blast

Fortunately, the film's distributor, Magenta Light Studios, has just set a premium video-on-demand (PVOD) release date, which is very near So here's everything you need to know

It may sound cliché, but “Strange Darling” is a film that relies heavily on a sense of unpredictability As such, it is best not to know about it before you watch it This is because I desperately want to praise this thriller for all its good points, but at the same time, I want to ensure that it leaves a lot of mysteries behind Therefore, I will limit myself to light spoilers from here on

“Strange Darling” centers on a one-night stand between two unnamed characters, Lady (Willa Fitzgerlad) and Damon (Kyle Gallner) Set against the backdrop of an active serial killer terrorizing the American West, nothing is as it seems, and the film's killer twist will shock you

What makes “Strange Darling” stand out in such an overcrowded genre is its nonlinear structure The film is organized in six chapters, but the audience does not see each section of the story in order This clever format allows director/screenwriter JT Molnar to slowly peel back the curtain while providing clues to the audience

The acting is also excellent Film veterans Ed Begley Jr and Barbara Hershey have supporting roles, but “Strange Darling” feels more like a Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner film The latter is perfect for the role, but it is Fitzgerald who shines brightest I'd love to delve into both characters again, but I'm walking a fine line to avoid spoilers, so I'll say no more

I am not the only one seriously impressed by “Strange Darling” The thriller received a 95% score from over 130 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes This makes it one of the highest rated thriller films of the year The audience score was also high at 85%, although some audience members criticized “Strange Darling” for being a bit “style over substance”

Nick de Semlin of Empire Magazine wrote, “You know where this sun-drenched serial killer thriller is going, but you don't know A cleverly told chronological tale, buoyed by Willa Fitzgerald's brilliant performance, it's a small film with a big impact

Variety's Michael Nordin says it's “best experienced with as little prior knowledge as possible,” but take this advice and stream it as soon as possible before one of the twists is ruined by a careless social media post

If I've done my job to the hilt, you should be totally in love with “Strange Darling” by this point Naturally, the next question is, when can I stream it? Strange Darling will be available on the PVOD platform on Tuesday, October 1

If you are looking for an unpredictable thriller, this is just the film for you This dark fable is going to have a cult following and will almost certainly be on the “Best Thriller Movies of 2024” list in just a few months

Meanwhile, if you're in the mood for a thriller you can watch right now, “The Menu” just made the Prime Video Top 10, and it's just as good (though the ending may leave you with a bad taste) Plus, you only have a few more days to watch one of the best sci-fi trilogies of all time before it gets deleted from Netflix