Written by Jill Gevargizian, Eric Havens and Eric Stolze
Directed by Jill Gevargizian
Starring Brea Grant, Najarra Townsend and Sarah McGuire
Running time 1 hour and 45 minutes

by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport

“I guess we all want what we don’t have.”

Do hairstylists dream of murder?

I am no beautician, but my best friend forever is and you didn’t hear this from me, but in case you’re wondering the answer is: Y-E-S. Positively, without a doubt, your stylist thinks of performing a massacre that most likely involves their shiny gold handled scissors and possibly a hair dryer. I’m not saying that you in particular are on their mind when it comes to salon fantasy killing. It really comes down to a person’s chair demeanor. Are you somebody that squirms around a lot? Or the type that spills their guts as if they were talking to a damn therapist? Or that person that believes an idea of a tip is a crisp George Washington?

Hairdressers put up with a lot and often wear a smile while doing it. For a profession that has the goal of making their client feel good about themselves, the stylist themself is often left feeling less than a human being. Based on her 2016 short, Jill Gevargizian’s feature debut, The Stylist, explores the idea of what happens when a person desires to not only be someone else, but is willing to kill for it.

When first introduced to Claire (Najarra Townsend) she gives the impression of a shy, pleasant and fastidious individual who seemingly wants her walk-in customer to feel relaxed. And how best to unwind while you get your locks snipped but with a glass of wine. Claire struck me as someone that put her feelings aside for the sake of her customer. This is shown as the patron drones endlessly on about her extramarital affair and lies. Information that she so pointedly states no one else knows, which leads her to smugly remark in regards to telling Claire, something along the lines of, “You’re outside my actual life, so I trust it doesn’t matter.” Meaning, simply- Claire doesn’t matter.

As the appointment continues, the salon empties out until they are the only two remaining. Well, that is until Claire so routinely removes a mannequin head from her drawer. Anytime a mannequin makes an appearance, no matter the appendage - I know I am in for a wild ride. What I wasn’t expecting was the gore to look so damn stylish. I never thought I would find myself thinking that the removal of someone’s scalp could actually look good. Claire has damn skills. Wellllll… and having an incredible sound design doesn’t hurt either. Jill funded her horror flick through kickstarter and, in reading the project’s page, I learned that Claire was to be seen as a tragic monster. Watching the film, I realized that I should be disgusted by the acts Claire is performing, but instead couldn’t help myself root for her. Despite her being an absolute awkward maniac, I wanted to see her get away with it. Fellow humans are truly capable of being so damn awful. Sure, no one deserves to die but, let’s be honest, some people kinda just ask for it or, at the very least, earn a bad haircut.

When Claire receives a text from a regular client, Olivia (Brea Grant) regarding a wedding emergency is when her existence truly spirals out of control. Initially, what starts as sweet turns sinister. At the spur of a moment, Olivia invites Claire to her bachelorette party. As much as bachelorette parties make me cringe, without this plot point I would never have gotten a scene in the film that I adored. When it comes to stories about women, I can often tell the difference when a female filmmaker is at the helm. Claire changes her outfit numerous times as she readies for the evening out, only to circle back to the first outfit we first saw her in. It was this small detail that reminded me of why I love seeing female made flicks. As I have absolutely found myself with a bed littered with a pile of outfits only to select the first outfit I had tried on forty minutes earlier. Jill Gevargizian gets it.

The night out with Olivia and the gals seems to go swimmingly, until Claire overhears a conversation between the bridesmaids questioning the presence of “the hairdresser” at the celebration. Another instance in which Claire is made to feel lowly and unworthy.

The film may be a bit gory but, much like its title and main character, there is style here too. Gevargizian manages to tell a horrifying story with compassion. The only real critique I have is the 105 minute length and pacing. With debut flicks especially, I think there is something about that 90 minute run time that is a mark of perfection. The filmmaker leaves us wanting more. With that said, for a first time feature, Gevargizian proves she is a director that has arrived on the genre scene and leaves me hopeful for what she does next. Seeing Claire, in what I feel is a more classed up Buffalo Bill-esque lair (ala Silence of the Lambs) staring back at herself in the mirror, while wearing one of her victim’s skull caps, she was transformed. As much as I was impressed with Townsend’s ability to become someone else, it also shows that Gevargizian has what it takes.

Watch out for The Stylist to be making the rounds through the film fest circuit - next up Arrow Video FrightFest, schedule here. In the meantime, check out Jill’s 2016 short that it was based on here.

*Hear more from the Old Sport on the Moviejawn pod, Cinematic Crypt in which she goes six feet under to uncover Hollywood’s forgotten films.*