Review: All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006/2013)

Having been shelved by the Weinstein Company for seven years, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane--Mandy Lane from now on--has gained this cult status even before the film was released in 2013, stemming from all the critical acclaims it got back when it premiered in those festivals like Southwest, Tribeca, and so on. Upon release, though, Mandy Lane sort of fizzled out due to the hype having died down and the general consensus that it wasn't as great as it was believed to be. I, unfortunately, am among those who thought the same.

Mandy Lane is a story of its titular character played by Amber Heard who sort of blossomed over the summer and is now become the subject to conquer for all the boys in her high school. One night, Mandy is invited to a party by a popular crowd, and she brought her best friend Emmet along. At the party, the host, a drunken boy who previously bullied Emmet, shows Mandy the length he would go to to get her by jumping into the pool from his roof and smacking his head on the pavement in the process. He is killed, and apparently Mandy's friendship with Emmet is strained as he was the one who persuaded him to jump. One year later, Mandy becomes part of the popular clique, while Emmet becomes the school's pariah. The popular clique plans a holiday getaway at a secluded ranch. Little do they know that they're getting picked off one by one.

Mandy Lane has wicked opening scene that really hooked me. It's sort of mean-spirited in a way that doesn't upset you and teases you to see more. However, it went pretty downhill from there and doesn't pick up again until at least the last quarter. We're first introduced to these characters whom Mandy's going to spend time with, and right from the get go, they're the most obnoxious set of characters you could find in a horror movie. There is a point to this, though, as *spoiler alert* Mandy turns out to be the one who put the murderous plan in motion with Emmet doing her biddings and her motive is that they're lesser beings who deserve it... or something. Reason aside, it's still too much of a hindrance to my enjoyment as Mandy, who in the first three quarters is the protagonist and therefore the character whom we see the events from, clearly doesn't like hanging out with them. I see what it's trying to accomplish, but unfortunately, this reason doesn't show up for a very long time.

However, Mandy Lane has impressive cinematography. It pays homage to 1970s grind house horrors by using wide shots of vast landscapes, apparent grain, high contrast, and muted colours. Watching this, visually, was a treat for me. The script, while not exactly original and is filled with characters that I just wanted to off, is still more original and smarter than your average slash-and-dice flicks, even if it's just slightly. Amber Heard gave a solid performance, and the director maintain a steady and dread mood throughout, even if it's not exactly enjoyable for me. For what it's worth, we should give props to Mandy Lane for trying something new and for showing its apparent love for the genre.

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006/2013)

Directed by Jonathan Levine

Starring Amber Heard, Michael Welch, Anson Mount

Occupant Entertainment

6.5/10 ⭐