Review: ‘The Stylist,’ a voluptuous lock of disturbia

There is no escaping loneliness these days. In an ongoing pandemic, whether you have a long history of mental illness or not, it ensnares you like a Venus fly trap — sucking the very life force from your body. You may not even be able to leave our bed, much less your bedroom. If you’re Claire (Najarra Townsend), the central character in Jill Gevargizian’s The Stylist, you’re high-functioning and find other ways to cope, turning to hairdressing, shampoos, and styling for a disturbing kind of outlet. Based on a story by Gevargizian, with help from Eric Havens and Eric Stolze, the psychological thriller documents Claire’s emotional unraveling and swift descent into madness.

When the film opens, we find Claire, ever the soft spoken hostess, taking on one last client for the night. Her posh salon is quite the hot-spot in a bustling suburban neighborhood. She’s always one to prefer the evening hours, frequently working much later than her co-workers, and we soon understand exactly why. You see, Claire suffers from a devouring kind of depression and loneliness that many never face. She’s a bit aloof, a little awkward, but she has a kind spirit — or so it seems. Beneath her skin, there lies a trembling sort of rage, likely from years and years of little to no real human interaction, and she’s a ticking time-bomb waiting to explode.

One afternoon, Claire gets a ring from an old friend named Olivia (Brea Grant), an editor for the glossy magazine Revlon, asking for a fresh ‘do for her upcoming nuptials. Claire is hesitate, fully knowing her emotional boundaries are practically non-existent and, well, the fact she’s already killed someone for their hair. In an earlier scene, Claire creeps down into the cellar of her business and invites the viewer into her macabre world of styrofoam mannequin heads and crusty human scalps (yes, really). There, she tries a fresh one on, gazing into her vanity with a frighteningly desperate and haunting look in her eyes. So, of course, she’s unsure if helping Olivia is a good thing. But she needs companionship and she’s willing to do anything to get it.

Olivia invites her over one night for wine, gossip, and hair. Her personality is effervescent and charming, standing in contrast to Claire’s still-meek temperament. The two bond over past traumas, and it appears they’ve been able to rekindle a long-forgotten friendship. In mending severed bonds, Claire finally finds someone who gets her and actually cares about her well-being. It doesn’t last long, naturally, and we find Claire Single White Female-ing it all over the place. It’s as uncomfortable as it is striking to behold, owed largely to Gevargizian’s keen eye and Townsend’s gripping performance.

The Stylist leads only in one direction: the fateful wedding day. It’s expected, but the finale is challenging, nonetheless. You know something is about to happen, yet you’re completely uncertain of what exactly. When the big reveal punches you in the head, it’s absolutely cringe (in the best way possible).

The Stylist is now streaming on Arrow Video.

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