Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut has been an object of curiosity since it was announced, in part due to Kravitz’s steady rise up the actor ranks, plus her own mystique, and learning that she was dating now-fiancé Channing Tatum while they were making the movie together. It used be called Pussy Island, but the film has been retitled to the more advertising-friendly Blink Twice

 

Kravitz directs and co-writes with E.T. Feigenbaum, who worked with her on High Fidelity, and the film stars CTates, Naomie Ackie, Christian Slater, Alia Shawkat, Adria Arjona, Simon Rex, Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis, Kyle MacLachlan, and Levon Hawke (son of Ethan and Uma). 

The trailer for Blink Twice dropped yesterday, and I am intrigued. CTates plays a billionaire who whisks a coterie of hangers-on to his private island, where maybe something is amiss. There are shades of Get Out, The Menu, Glass OnionBlink Twice doesn’t look like a fun little murder mystery, but I’m also not ruling that out, as the film is billed as a “black comedy”. 

 

What intrigues me most, honestly, is the presence of Haley Joel Osment. We know him best from his child actor days, but as an adult, he has demonstrated eclectic taste, often choosing offbeat and indie projects, with a particular soft spot for high concept comedy, and he’s happy to take smaller roles to support interesting projects. His presence in Blink Twice makes me wonder what Zoë  Kravitz has up her sleeve. The trailer is effective, teasing the plot and mystery without giving away too much, and this is certainly a fun ensemble cast. Zoë Kravitz’s director era is getting off to a good start.