Co-writer/director Marcello Mantero’s Marion’s Lilies is a lean, nasty little thriller about what happens when grief stops asking polite questions and takes matters into its own hands. The shirt thriller opens in a darkened alley where a soon-to-be serial killer, known as the Owl Killer, claims his first victim. Her name is Marion (Melissa Kate Steven), and her only crime was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. At Marion’s funeral, David (Neil Bishop), her husband, is despondent, barely recognizing any of the condolences from friends and family. His mind races as he wonders why the police can’t answer this simple question: who took her from him?
After the funeral, David stays at his mother’s place (Pip Boulter), but her words offer no comfort. He is consoled by his best workmate, Alex (James Viller), who is trying, but failing, to bring him back to the real world. After hearing about a second victim, David decides to forget the police and solve it on his own. He reaches out to a homeless man, Andy (John Britton), who was known to be in the area at the time of the murder. He shows Andy a picture of the killer, but it’s too dark for Andy to make out anything beyond an unidentifiable figure. As days turn into months, David isolates himself from Alex, his mother, and the world’s responsibilities. Instead, he obsesses over news reports, research, and surveillance runs. Tonight is the night he strikes in hopes of bringing the Owl Killer down.
“After hearing about a second victim, David decides to forget the police and solve it on his own.”
I love Marion’s Lilies for two main reasons. Firstly, the storytelling from Mantero and co-writer Elena Righi is great. They clearly have a firm grasp on the beats of this tale every step of the way. From the very beginning, we know the stakes for David. At first, he feels helpless, just sitting there waiting for justice to prevail. When no progress is being made and no one takes him seriously anymore, he must act fast.
The second reason is the action. Bishop gives a truly great performance. He understands the progression and downward spiral of his character. Again, pacing is everything in thrillers, and when David’s had enough, we’ve had enough.
Marion’s Lilies, as a short film, runs just over 38 minutes, but not a second is wasted. Mantero keeps the tension tight and the storytelling clean, while Bishop carries the whole thing on his back. While this may be a short, it lands like a feature.
"…lands like a feature."
