The sad irony of childhood trauma is that often it leads the victim to traumatize themselves or others when they reach adulthood. It’s a vicious cycle that needs to be dealt with head-on and broken, or else it can lead to a downward spiral. It’s a similar dynamic with toxic relationships, they’re fun and exciting at first, but they’ll take you down a dark hole if you allow them to.
Writer/director Rich Mallery’s Felines is an erotic drama/thriller about two lesbians named Max (Madison Santos) and Lily (Kate Lý Johnston) who have some significant issues. Still, they’re drawn to each other like moths to a flame. Max is a bartender, and that’s how she meets Lily, who pickpockets one of her customers at the bar while flirting with him. Of course, Max observes all of this, but the excitement only adds fuel to the fire.
Max knows that Lily is trouble, but she just can’t get her out of her head, especially when she’s in the shower. The two women start hanging out, which leads to drinking, drugs, and hooking up. They both have issues from their childhood that they don’t want to talk about. It’s easier to drown their sorrows in the techno dance soundtrack of the film.
“…about two lesbians…who have some major issues, but they’re drawn to each other like moths to a flame.”
Lily has a webcam show that she tries to cox Max to be on, but Max is trying to maintain some of her dignity despite the dalliances with sex, drugs, and alcohol. Eventually, Lily convinces Max to join in on a date with a “client” named Walter (Chris Spinelli), where they put on a show and make a ton of cash. Max enjoys it and falls further down the rabbit hole of sorrow, especially as her relationship with Lily starts to falter from all of the drama.
Felines is a bit reminiscent of a low-budget and lighter version of Darren Aronofsky’s dark masterpiece Requiem for a Dream. They both deal with characters who let addictions take them down a path that can be difficult to watch (although it’s tough for any movie to compare to the depravity seen in Requiem for a Dream) by doing destructive things such as selling their bodies for more money and drugs. In the case of Felines, it leads to a murder.
Kate Lý Johnston is believable as an out-of-control troublemaker and has good chemistry with Madison Santos. Santos also does a fine job portraying a broken woman who lets Lily corrupt her. This film plays on the voyeuristic nature of watching two attractive lesbians with each other.
It’s much easier to watch someone else’s drama on screen than deal with it in real life. Some viewers will enjoy the madness, while others will not, so it can be easy to anticipate reactions to this movie varying wildly. I liked Felines because realistic human behavior in all its forms interests me, and having two beautiful leads will no doubt be a selling point for some people.
