‘Thoroughbreds’ Trailer: You Can’t Breed Good Girls

Thoroughbreds remind us of the talent of Anton Yelchin.

Thoroughbreds remind us of the talent of Anton Yelchin.

Yes, there are still some Anton Yelchin films left to get excited about. Thoroughbreds made its debut at Sundance 2017 and has a posthumous screen appearance by Yelchin, but it is so much more than that.

From first-time writer/director Cory Finley, Thoroughbreds features two Connecticut teenagers who are unhappy with their lives. Olivia Cooke, best known for her performance in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, plays Amanda who has goals that don’t include getting an internship. She has reconnected with her childhood friend,  Lily (Anya Taylor-Joy), who has an upper-class upbringing and snooty boarding school credentials. Together they devise a plan to get rid of the problem that plagues their lives, getting rid of Lily’s step-father (Paul Sparks). They turn to Tim (Yelchin) to get the job done for them, even if he insists “he isn’t fucking Rambo.”

Our reviewer said of Thoroughbreds, “The entire cast is strong, but it’s the two young women who power the film (and Finley’s script) into our minds, hearts, and funny bones.” It would seem that Finley took inspiration from films a varied as Heathers and Heavenly Creatures. Cooke was a standout in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and the wait to see her on the big screen again has been a long one. Of course, she also features into Spielberg’s Ready Player One next year as well. As for Taylor-Joy, she was marvelous in The Witch and can also be seen in the Split/Glass series of movies. These two women are exciting talents and make Thoroughbreds all the more intriguing. That it also contains one of the final Yelchin performances is icing on the cake.

Thoroughbreds hits theaters March 2018.

Max Covill: News Writer/Columnist for Film School Rejects. It’s the Pictures Co-host. Bylines Playboy, ZAM, Paste Magazine and more.