Cuckoo
Director: Tilman Singer
Release year: 2024
After her mother dies, Gretchen moves with her estranged father’s family to a resort in the German Alps. To stave off boredom, Gretchen takes a job at the resort reception, where she notices the odd behaviour of the residents and of her boss, Herr König.
I don’t want to say much more than that, because it’s a fun story with a few surprising twists. The tone switches skilfully from unsettling to amusing to frightening, but it’s held together by Gretchen’s grounded teenager vibe.
Hunter Schafer is sensational as Gretchen and commands every scene she is in. I loved her facial responses to the increasingly disturbing events, first surprised, then disbelieving, and she always makes sensible decisions. She also plays guitar, has a liaison with a flirty customer, and knows how to use a switchblade. Top drawer heroine.