KILLER ASSISTANT
US, 2016, 89 minutes, Colour.
Arianne Zucker, Brando Eaton, Natalie Lander, George Stults, Joanne Barron.
Directed by Danny J.Boyle.
A crime drama that lives up to its blunt title. The story is not unfamiliar – and might be seen as a fashion magazine variation on All About Eve.
Arianne Zucker, a longtime veteran of Days of Our Lives, portrays Suzanne, a hard-working managing editor, seen with her staff preparing an anniversary issue of the magazine Style Harmony. Her boss tells her that she has hired a new assistant, David, played by Brando Eaton. He is a very smooth operator, always smiling, deferential at the beginning, the audience seeing him as brutal, ambitious, ruthless, eventually eliminating opposition, tormenting Suzanne, tricking her into drinking and having a one night stand, fostering a clash with her husband, a singer-composer, furthering the clash between her and her daughter.
One of the staff is assaulted, later murdered. But, initially no one considers him as a threat or a suspect. However, Suzanne continues to clash with him.
There is an opening sequence with a little boy seeing his father having a sexual encounter with his babysitter. His mother has abandoned the family and soon, after giving him a jewel memento, she disappears from his life. It looks as though this kind of emotional deprivation at the age of seven can lead to murderous compensation.
1. A murder thriller? The audience knowing the suspect? Investigations?
2. The opening sequence of the boy and his babysitter, repeated, the explanation and motivation for the behaviour of David?
3. The American city, homes, streets, jogging, the magazine, offices, bars? Musical score?
4. The title, David, wounding and killing Mary? The bashing of Robert? The affair with Suzanne? Being unmasked, the dangers for Calista? The final confrontation with Suzanne, seeing her and her boxing, his exercise and push-ups? The final fight?
5. The magazine, Suzanne as managing editor, busy, loving her husband, forgiving him an affair, becoming suspicious again, drinking, the one night stand and its effect on her, agreeing to go to counselling again, the fights with her daughter and the daughter walking out? The head of the magazine and her concern about Suzanne, intervening? Hiring David? Not suspicious of him? Not understanding Suzanne?
6. Suzanne and Robert, their past, the present, meals, their daughter and her love for her father, disdain for her mother, walking out? Robert, the past affair, the aggressive woman, counselling, hearing the truth from Suzanne and his being upset, jogging, confronting David, his being killed?
7. Calista, independent of her mother, her boyfriend, her father’s concert, the encounter with David, planned by him, the internship, her work, not believing her mother? Going out with David, seeing his videos, the truth, calling her mother, the final danger?
8. The magazine, the staff, Janet and the management, Mary and her criticisms and her death, the other men?
9. David suggesting the topic for the key article, Suzanne and the interview, later setting up the young woman, out of prison, drinks and drugs, her interview?
10. Popular ingredients for a soap opera – with the touch of murder?
