There are so many streaming services out there and it seems like they are all offering their own movies only available on their platforms that unless you have a subscription to everything it's impossible to stay all caught up with the latest silver screen gems. It was actually Mr. Bleu who brought this movie to my attention and quite frankly the majority of movies released in the past 10 years or so have been so predictable and unimaginative that I rarely get my hopes up for anything being good. Most things are just something to watch, but as we were in the mood for "something to watch" and nothing else sprang to mind we decided to give No One Will Save You a try. So, I went into this experience with very low expectations and was delighted to find myself enjoying this movie.
In the vein of Signs and Cloverfield, No One Will Save You is an alien invasion movie that follows an ordinary individual coping with extraordinary circumstances. I enjoyed this movie and the others like it because it seems so much more realistic when an average person responds in an average way rather than rising to the ranks of unlikely hero. Now, to be fair, Mr. Bleu did not enjoy this movie as much as I did, and my girls found it to be fair to middling, enjoyable but not earth shaking. I think the real reason I liked it so much was two fold. 1. The beautifully and thoughtfully styled home, wardrobe, and life of main character Brynn played by Kaitlyn Dever as she lives a life of an outcast in a forced seculsion. 2. I can relate to her in many ways. *At this point, let me just apologize for the potato quality of these photos. Because this isn't a blockbuster, there are basically no studio released photos available.
Brynn has evidentally spent her years of alone time creating a magical world for herself and building an enviable wardrobe. (Check out that vintage Canyon Group Wedding Cake Robe!) She wants everything to be lovely and good. And yet, she is rejected by her community at every turn. While her community has every right to be a little standoffish (really trying not to give anything away here) I think to some degree every introvert feels this way about themselves and their place in the world as always being on the outside looking in and eventually just trying to make the outside as wonderful as possible since there seems to be no hope of ever getting inside while simultaneously continuing to try to get in. Case in point, on her way into town to run errands, she spends time trying to decide which dress to wear and opts, in my opinion, for the safer less standout choice of a green floral.
In spite of her attempts, we see Brynn rejected and struggling until this Alien Invasion thing changes everything. Because Brynn is so rejected she is unable to warn others, and so isolated we only see events unfold from her perspective. This is the area in which Mr. Bleu took issue. A movie like this typically offers some sort of self-sacrifice that leads to saving the world and redeeming the main character. Not so with this movie, but again, this is where I found it more endearing.
Ok, so the more I talk about the movie, the more I am giving away and I would really rather let you watch it with as little info as possible, so let's get back to the clothes. I love that everything Brynn wears is just so. It's clear that she has put a lot of thought into her wardrobe by choosing elegant vintage pieces that she incorporates into her everyday life rather than having them be part of an untouched collection. This is always the struggle I face when it comes to vintage things. I fear that using them will tear them up, but what's the point of having them if you're not going to use them? Brynn gets it, life is for the living and everyday should be beautiful. Check out this extra ruffley powder blue peignoir set. After watching this film I decided to invest in some vintage nylon nightgowns and they are so comfortable and pretty that I can't believe I ever lived without them!
Even her casual wear is filled with delicate details. This outfit was hard to capture with screenshots because this is when the action really picks up, but this top is hardly a basic floral. The print and design remind me of heirloom brand, Doen. It's such an intricate pattern and the sleeves have some puff to them and some ruffle at the cuffs. The trousers have a high waist and belt and the shoes even have lots of personality. So, although this is still quite an understated look, it once again shows us that Brynn puts a lot of thought into every area of her life. In fact, her time spent in reflection, perhaps over thinking to the point of being unable to esacpe her past, is a main theme.
Later in the film, Brynn's personal style has evolved to bolder/larger floral prints, brighter colors, lipstick, and genuine smiles instead of desperate attempts to fit in. This is reflected in outfits such as this embroidered folk blouse (which costume designer, Natalie O'Brien, had custom made for the film) and her party dress which you can see below. Her hair has more volume and she wears lipstick once again as a way of saying she is Ok to standout and be herself.
So, was No One Will Save You a timeless classic or a solid gold hit? Probably not, but I did really enjoy for reasons I can't discuss without ruining it for you and the art direction and costumes alone were enough to make it one of the most enjoyable movies of my year.
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