I’m not sure if I’m the only one, but my Netflix list is about 80 videos long. I tend to add whatever seems even mildly interesting.
The movie What Happened to Monday quickly ended up on my list after its release in November 2017. I had to berate myself for this. After reading so many mediocre dystopian teen fictions, I felt like this movie was really going to suck. I repeatedly opted to watch another movie or show than watch this Netflix Original, but it sat in my list, haunting me. So I finally decided to sit down and watch it.
I was watching Criminal Minds, but I felt like I needed something lighthearted to watch while I twisted my hair. I don’t even know why this movie crossed my mind. It’s rated TV-MA and nothing about the description seemed to be butterflies and rainbows. Let me just affirm, this movie was not happiness and fluffy unicorns. Contrary to what I expected, Netflix did an awesome job with this film. It was thrilling, heart-wrenching and full of action. There are seven sisters and they all have personalities that are separate and unique. It’s even more fascinating knowing that one woman plays all of them. #MovieMagic
The thing I liked the most was probably the sisterhood in the film. Since all seven sisters are pretending to be one person, they are all really close. Even though they have lived with each other in secrecy for 30+ years, they still learn new things about each other throughout the movie. I also like the take on femininity that the director took. Too often, females are relegated to one end or the other on the sex spectrum- either they kick-butt and take names or they are some kind of slutty sex-appeal to a male audience. Sometimes a mixture of both. This film took advantage of the seven sisters by showing more than just the kick-butt and the sex (Yes, there is an uncensored sex scene between a man and woman in this film). The “slutty” sister and the “kick-butt” sister both have their vices. They are not 100% the stereotype that is applied to them. The film projects each sister as a woman not simply an ideal. That is the most important thing, and I applaud the director, screenwriter and staff for creating female characters that are rivals, family and friends. It’s truly hard to see that in films today.
On the list of things I didn’t like, the top would likely be the uncensored sex scene. Following would be the graphic and bloody deaths. I knew the sex scene would happen. I mean, there was touching in the previous scene, but for some reason it came upon me suddenly and by the time I realized what was happening, I had already seen a naked woman. I had to pause the movie to recollect. I actually just fast forwarded through that part, since both the man and the woman’s body were fully visible. The graphic deaths also caught me off guard. The first time someone got shot in the head, I screamed. Again, part of me saw it coming, but most of me wanted to believe that wouldn’t happen.
So here’s what I would say: if you don’t mind graphic behaviors, language and death, watch the movie. It was worth the two hours. The mystery and thrill will keep you engaged. It’s a well done film. It’s currently rated 64% on Rotten Tomatoes, so that’s pretty decent.
Verdict: Give it a try, you may like it if you enjoy thrillers.