The Girl with the Needle
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Swedish writer/director Magnus von Horn crafts this historical, psychological horror movie loosely based on the true story of Danish serial killer Dagmar Overbye. Vic Carmen Sonne stars as Karoline, a destitute young pregnant woman who begins working as a wet nurse at a secretive adoption agency for poor young mothers who can't or don't want to raise their children. Karoline finds a home with the woman who runs the operation, played by the great Danish actress Trine Dyrholm (The Celebration, A Royal Affair, Love is All You Need, Nico, 1988, and Queen of Hearts), but soon grows suspicious of her mysterious behavior. With its digital monochrome photography and cold, shadowy sets, Von Horn, cinematographer Michał Dymek (EO, A Real Pain), and production designer Jagna Dobesz (Ida, High Life) create an impressive world for their characters to inhabit, but the rich gothic visuals undercut the reality of this chillingly timely story, making it feel like a metaphorical fantasy rather than something that was probably far more common than we would like to believe.