I know that I may lose some of you with Livid, because at points, it almost comes across as a gothic fairy tale. Don’t get me wrong, it is quite violent and graphic at times, but there is an underlying tone of fantasy to it all. The thing is though, this movie is undeniably beautiful. Hell, even the scenes where people get their throats cut open are quite beautiful. It just seems as if every frame of cinematography was well planned or thought out. This is a film that does not rush through its plot. Instead, it takes careful steps each minute, furthering the story and further compelling the audience.
Speaking of the story, it’s pretty simple. It focuses on Lucy, who is taking care of an old woman who may have had a gold treasure buried somewhere in her property. This prompts her less-than-proper friends to decide that they should rob the house one night, as finding that treasure would end all of their financial woes. But this is a French movie, on a list about fucked up films, so you know that the plan does not go off without a hitch.
Now, here’s the part where I may lose you. What compelled me so much about Livid (outside of the painfully stunning female lead) was the fact that I had no idea what direction this film would go in at any moment. Just when I thought it was getting dull, some really, really messed up shit happens.
The pacing here is definitely strange. A half hour in you may think that the movie is slow, but give it a chance. It finds its pacing and once it gets gory and creepy, it does not let up. Without saying too much, the “throat cut” scene caught me completely off guard and quickly reminded me that this was a French film that was pulling no punches. In other words, get past the first half hour and the film gets very fucked up. It is just a “different” kind of fucked up. Trust me, you have never seen a movie quite like this before
Livid has all the prerequisites to land it on this list. A beautiful French lead. Lots of blood and gore, and a mindfuck of a story that takes you on an absolutely wild ride. If you don’t believe me, check out the trailer below.