FeatureR2019·101m·5.3

Darlin'

Don't mess with mother's nature.

HorrorThrillerMystery

Found at a Catholic hospital filthy and ferocious, feral teenager Darlin’ is whisked off to a care home run by The Bishop and his obedient nuns, where she’s to be rehabilitated into a "good girl" as an example of the miraculous work of the church. But Darlin’ holds a secret darker than the "sins" she is threatened with, and she is not traveling alone. The Woman who raised her, equally fierce and feral, is ever present in the shadows of Darlin’s psyche and is determined to come for her no matter who tries to get in her way.

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Cast

Lauryn Canny

Darlin’

Bryan Batt

The Bishop

Nora-Jane Noone

Sister Jennifer

Cooper Andrews

Tony

Pollyanna McIntosh

The Woman

John McConnell

Dr. Grant

Geraldine Singer

Sister Grace

Maddie Nichols

Billy

Mackenzie Graham

Bug

Jeff Pope

Clown

Eugenie Bondurant

Mona

Sabrina Gennarino

Charity

Thomas Francis Murphy

The Cardinal

Charlie Talbert

John

Peyton Wich

Duke

Carol Sutton

Effie

Jo-Ann Robinson

Mother of Pregnant Girl

Allison Gobuzzi

Lottie

Lauren Ashley Carter

Peggy

Autumn Walker

Diana

Details

Status
Released
Original language
English
Languages
English
Budget
Revenue
Age rating
R
Quality
4K UHD · HDR10 · Dolby Vision
Production
Hood River Entertainment

Crew

Director

Pollyanna McIntosh

Writers

Pollyanna McIntosh

Julie Garcés

Editor

Jeff Subik

Production Design

Halyna Hutchins

Director of Photography

Ali Helnwein

Original Music Composer

Michael Bevins

Costume Design

Gallery

Reviews

Wuchak

4/25/2026

3.0

**_A feral girl finds succor at a Catholic girls’ school_** This is the third standalone film of a trilogy about wild females, all featuring statuesque Pollyanna McIntosh as The Woman. Pollyanna dives into writing & directing here and the film is proficiently made. I’ve only seen the previous one, “The Woman” from 2011, and I liked the first hour or so, but the last act left a bad taste. Like this one, there's a hint of dark humor so you can't take the proceedings too seriously, but with themes of slavery, cannibalism, torture, domestic violence, rape, incest and murder, that flick just didn't know when to stop. "Cat People" dealt with some of these way back in 1982 and was significantly more effective and entertaining. This third film is better in some ways, but worse in others. Lauryn Canny shines as the protagonist and the theme of natural instincts vs institutional conditioning is interestingly explored. Yet I didn’t like the dubious places where the movie lands ideologically. For instance, society’s pressure to mold young women into clean and intelligent “good girls” is criticized with the contrasting option of being a dirty homeless cannibalistic murderer. You tell me, which is more preferable? The flick suggests that the true monstrosity is the hypocritical religious leader but compare what he does and what The Woman does. Neither is good, of course, but which is more monstrous? And which scenario better prepares young women to be functioning and fulfilled people enjoying a long life in any society on Earth? Then there’s the super-virtuous male nurse (if you know what I mean) that’s glaringly forced and smacks of using cinema for social engineering. Get real. Lastly, I found myself giggling under my breath at the way the titular character tended to get down on all fours in the first act when she would've known well before the age of 16-17 that it was easier and more natural to stand up and walk on two legs to survive in the wilderness... or anywhere. Also, The Woman & Darlin' are feral females who have spent most (or all) of their lives living in the wilds and yet they somehow didn't know enough to create some kind of crude footwear or garments to cover key areas of their bodies, even though it's frickin' winter. Why Sure! It runs 1h 40m and was filmed in 2018, shot at St. Francisville, East Baton Rouge Parish and parts nearby in Louisiana. From the license plates observed, the location is supposed to be somewhere in Ohio. GRADE: D+

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