If you, like me, are a fan of the Billie Piper show “I Hate Suzie” — its anti-heroine lead, its focus on the messiness of feminism in theory vs. practice, its general acidity — you’ll find a lot to love about “Rare Beasts,” Piper’s directorial debut. Dubbed an “anti rom-com” by its logline, the film sees a single mother pursuing a relationship with a terrible man. And, yes, she is fully aware he’s terrible.
There are rumors that “Rare Beasts” is mined from the specificities of Piper’s real-life experiences, yet so much of the movie feels universal. Mandy (Piper), like so many women, is plagued with self-doubt, is convinced she’s not good enough — not good enough as a mother, not good enough as a feminist, not good enough at her job, not good enough looking, not good enough in bed. And the thing is, the world tells her that she isn’t good enough. All the time. Her boss at the production company she works at is patronizing, almost mocking, when she pitches stories about complex women. Her son (Toby Woolf) is bratty, angry, and violent toward animals. Her large teeth and C-section scar are unacceptable, according to Western beauty standards. Her philandering, irresponsible father (David Thewlis) and weary, thwarted mother (Kerry Fox) taught her she should never depend on, or expect anything from, the men in her life. She wants to be fulfilled, which women are not supposed to want; she also wants romantic love, which “real” feminists aren’t supposed to care about.
Taking all this pressure, all this bullshit, into account, I can’t blame Mandy for pressing into the bruise and deciding that Pete (Leo Bill), a misogynist, insecure dickhead, is all she deserves. She has been resisting what men like Pete represent her entire life, and it’s not like that has gotten her very far.
“Rare Beasts” opens during Mandy and Pete’s disastrous first date. He laments the fact that, more and more, women are actually expecting to be sexually satisfied in their relationships. She is horrified when she finds out he’s religious. He makes fun of her appearance, she literally vomits at the end of their outing. Still, Mandy and Pete take real pleasure in their back-and-forth. These two can’t stand each other, and yet they can’t seem to get enough of one another, either.
From the get-go, the viewer knows that Pete sucks and that, by dating him, Mandy is consciously taking the path of least resistance. Happiness doesn’t seem to be in the cards, so maybe settling for a jerk — who at least is up front about being a jerk — is the best option. The plot momentum of “Rare Beasts” concerns this very dysfunctional couple and the question of whether they will continue to make each other miserable or call it a day. But, for me, what makes this film truly engrossing is its willingness to wrestle with its own darkness and cynicism, and that of its protagonist. Maybe being with Pete means Mandy is giving up. Or maybe she’s just being pragmatic.
“Rare Beasts” is now in select theaters and available on VOD.
