“Sweetness”

A nasty little piece of cinema, “Sweetness” is like “Misery” for the teenage set. Director Emma Higgins’s film is dark, deranged, and shockingly fun in the most unsettling way possible.

What starts as a coming-of-age fantasy quickly spirals into something far more twisted when 16-year-old Rylee’s (Kate Hallett) innocent crush on rock star Payton Adler (Herman Tømmeraas) morphs into a full-blown obsession. After a concert and a series of mishaps with her best friend Sydney (Aya Furukawa), things spiral completely out of control. Upon discovering Payton’s drug addiction, she takes it upon herself to “save” him, but her well-intentioned efforts veer into terrifying territory, blurring the line between devotion and control.

The film is a cautionary tale about obsession, power, and the reckless intensity of teenage emotions. It takes the audience through a roller coaster of disturbing psychological tension, with moments of startling violence that feel both shocking and strangely believable.

Hallett’s raw, often uncomfortable portrayal of Rylee’s descent into madness makes it impossible to look away, even when things get too extreme or dip into ludicrous-adjacent territory. The strong lead performances from costars Tømmeraas and Furukawa work in tandem to hold things together, even in the film’s most outrageous and disturbing moments.

“Sweetness” may go too far for some, but for those who can stomach its dark turns, it’s an unforgettable, well-crafted film.

By: Louisa Moore