God’s Crooked Lines is one of the newest thrillers to be released internationally by Netflix. The movie is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by the Spanish writer Torcuato Luca de Tena. The feature film is one of the most successful Netflix Spanish productions, being in the top ten most watched in multiple countries since it was released. This is an intense narrative; if the viewer is not a fan of complicated and heavy psychological thrillers, they should let this one pass. But, for thriller fanatics that love a good mystery with mind-blowing turns, it should be on your to-watch list.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
God’s Crooked Lines tells the story of Alice Gould (Bárbara Lennie), a private detective who pretends she has a paranoid disorder in order to be committed to a mental hospital. Her latest case was brought to her by the father of one of the former patients, who claims his son didn’t die by suicide but was instead murdered. This complicated situation takes a turn for the worst as Alice’s reality is put into check, leaving the audience with no idea who is insane and who isn’t.
Here is why you should watch this new Spanish thriller and a few recommendations if you liked the movie.
Good Thrillers Based on Books
Warner Bros.
Book adaptations to the big screen are always a challenge. Translating the feelings the words evoke on the page through a camera lens is not an easy task. One of the most iconic movies ever made, Psycho, was a psychological thriller based on a novel. Rosemary’s Baby is another great example of a classic by Polanski that is a milestone in cinema history. Thrillers are, by nature, complicated stories to tell. They have to have certain elements of confusion and make unexpected turns, which nonetheless still ring true to the shreds of evidence that have been shown. Because of this, when a thriller succeeds in fooling the audience, it is usually a really entertaining one to watch.
God’s Crooked Lines is also an adaptation. One of the biggest criticisms it received was not about the movie itself, but rather how different it was from the novel. It is no surprise that fans of the author were a bit disappointed in that regard. There were some major changes, as important characters were not present in the movie. Also, the case the protagonist is working on, a major part of the plot, was different. Nevertheless, for those who haven’t read the book (and even the ones that have), the movie alone is a great thriller and should be watched.
God’s Crooked Lines
God’s Crooked Lines has become one of the most successful Spanish movies made by Netflix. The story is an intense psychological thriller that follows the main character, Alice, who is the only sane person inside a mental hospital. Alice is trying to figure out a murder that was dismissed as a suicide. The actors, especially the ones playing other patients in the institution, are excellent and bring the script to life, creating an atmospheric narrative that leaves the viewer sitting on the edge of their seats.
The movie is dialogue-heavy from the get-go. There is a lot of important information being given from the very first scene through dialogue – this is the type of movie that demands the audience’s attention from the very beginning right to the last shot, and if you’re watching it with subtitles, be warned that it’s not the kind of movie you can look away from if you want to follow the plot. The story is intricate and can become quite confusing, mainly because it deals with the idea of an uncertain reality and an unreliable protagonist. A lot of what is interesting in the movie is how different perspectives that mostly come from the same character, Alice, develop over the same events as she gathers more information.
This translates to how the movie is structured, with two main storylines that are connected in ways that trick the audience to believe in a specific timeline, only to be shocked once they realize what is really happening. This enhances the feeling of confusion, as the viewer is also tricked because of how the story is told, just like Alice. There is one certainty in a narrative that thrives on uncertainty: someone is lying.
Ending a thriller is always a difficult task; after twists and turns, it’s hard to know where to stop. The way this story ends is ingenious, as it plays with the mental confusion and ideas of reality right to the last frame, creating a deep relation to each viewer in unique ways. This is a slow-burn movie that is over two and a half hours long. Nevertheless, those who embark on this journey no matter how long it is, are rewarded.
What to Watch If You Liked God’s Crooked Lines
If you have watched God’s Crooked Lines and want to dive deeper into similar movies, these are some recommendations. For another Spanish-language thriller, El Guardián Invisible is the first installment in a trilogy of movies, called The Baztan Trilogy, made by Netflix. The whole trilogy is available to watch on the streaming service and is also based on a novel. This one deals with murder and trauma and has some supernatural elements that are also a part of its narrative – going a bit heavier on the horror genre than God’s Crooked Lines.
A more well-known recommendation would be a collaboration between Martin Scorsese and Leonardo Di Caprio on Shutter Island. The two movies walk hand in hand with the perception of reality and the need to solve a criminal case. They also deal with heavy subjects, such as mental health and trauma.
