Plush – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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The draw of Plush is Emily Browning and Dawn Olivieri, from House of Lies. This is despite Emily Browning being more miss than hit with the most recent titles I’ve seen her in, and with me not being very familiar with Olivieri’s work outside her role in House of Lies. Still, a fan is there for the bad movies and the good ones, so let’s see what this one was.

Now, the film is about the lead singer of the band Plush, Hayley (played by Emily Browning) and the rise and fall of her career after her brother Jack (played by Thomas Dekker) ODs on what looks like heroin. After his death, Hayley’s band is a mess mostly due to the album after Jack’s death being terrible. Being in a rut, Hayley begins drinking and smoking heavily and begins to get close to new band-mate Enzo (played by Xavier Samuel). Enzo makes for a decent makeshift Jack and begins inspiring Hayley, and getting involved in her family life. You see, Hayley is married, with two biological kids and one from Carter (played by Cam Gigandet), her husband’s last relationship. This doesn’t seem to matter though for the music Hayley makes with Enzo is toxic and the type of edge she has lost since Jack died. But, while Hayley is getting a lot out of her relationship with Enzo, including sex, we learn that Enzo has long planned to become a close partner of Hayley.

Which leads me to the positives of the film, of which there are honestly few. Once again, Emily Browning sort of leads you to question if she is meant to be a leading lady for, while she is cute, she doesn’t necessarily demand your attention on screen, and even her stage presence as a musician is nil. However, I must admit that some of the songs featured in the movie are likable enough to perhaps download some if the film has an available soundtrack.

But, I must say this film didn’t properly setup things, and for thriller type films, this is something really needed. Often in the film, you have waning interest and the sad thing is the film starts off alright, not great but alright. It begins making you think it is going to do things interview style, and while it is in this narrative, it works. However, once it is revealed it isn’t going down that route, things begin to falter a bit. It then tries to revive things by using the occasional sex scene to get you back, or a video of something violent and, at that point, it just feels like they are becoming desperate. And again, they have a plot which could have been interesting, but it is mishandled in such a way where it feels like someone just wanted to get the film done. Not make it good, average, or anything close to acceptable, but just done.

Overall: Skip It

Rarely do I ever say to skip a movie, but I was so utterly disappointed by this film that I can’t recommend it. Films like these test your loyalty to an actor or actress, and really are the type of movies which I’m sure makes critics want to find a new line of work. Still, if there is one thing I may recommend, I would say to look up the music of the film since it may fit the taste of somebody out there. I was kind of digging it.