Before writing and directingThoroughbreds, 28-year-old Cory Finley had never worked on a movie before.
Its an auspicious start.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So theres another very famous play, abouta teen committing violence against a horse.
Credit: Dina Rudick/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
As you were writingThoroughbreds, was that in your mind?
CORY FINLEY: It was not, consciously!
The comparison was made to me later, I think actually once it became a movie.
I dont think anyone mentioned it when it was a play.
And I was like, Of course!
Thats the iconic horse-violence story!
I was more riffing on classic film noir.
With regards toHeathersI saw so many reviews mentioning it, but I didnt really see any similarities at all.
Is that a comparison youre happy with?
I think thats still one of the striking things about it, going back.
Its so not afraid to be icky.
WhenThoroughbredswas just a play, it took place entirely on Lilys couch.
How did expanding the setting affect the story?
Its interesting how Tima sex offender and would-be drug dealerbecomes sort of an unlikely moral center of the movie.
Flipping audiences understanding of characters on their heads is always a fun thing to do.
And yeah, its just always good to have goodness come from unexpected places.
I think its more surprising when you find yourself sympathizing with someone you would never expect to.
And I think a lot of that is down to Antons performance, which really elevated that character.
I think thats certainly an element.
How did that come about?
Can you walk me through how you filmed it?
Long shots are sort of a great cinematic tradition.
What were you going for there?
Having the ergometer sound take on this nightmarish quality was important in that.
It was like the buttered toast inPhantom Thread.
And theres a horse comparison too!
The horse is the universal connector!
