Death By An All New Poison is a 2021 American Thriller Drama film written and directed by Nicholas Jarecki starring Michael Fassbender, Maitland Ward, Clea DuVall, Kerry Washington, Orlando Bloom, Lynn Collins, Troy Warwell and Shirley MacLaine.
The film secured an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Clea DuVall and an Oscar Nomination for Best Actress: Maitland Ward. It has received numerous other awards and accolades and has been theatrically praised by critics and audiences.
The film deals with melancholic themes of madness, murder, obsession, drugs, disillusionment and redemption.
The film also never reveals the real names of the female model characters which populate the film apart from the two lead protagonists portrayed by Ward and DuVall which in turn is only revealed in the end.
Plot[]
An unknown directionless, runaway girl is introduced to the world of being a model for the worldwide travelling pageneant of Showman Willis (Michael Fassbender) and the madness that occurs behind the scenes.
The girl who comes to bear the adopted title of Brilliance Blazenby (Maitland Ward) befriends a select group of girls led by the schitzophrenic Samantha Stupendous (Clea DuVall) who is gifted with an unnatural metabolism which does not allow to gain weight despite all she can eat and drink.
She is cursed however with a deep seated madness and soon the aptly named Brilliance is plunged into a murder spree Samantha sets off.
Her redemption may lie in the hands of a beautiful charity man Johnathen Backer (Orlando Bloom) whom falls for her, the mystery of a dead Showman Willis model and her estranged mother (Shirley MacLaine) and an opposing model (Kerry Washington).
Cast[]
- Michael Fassbender as Showman Willis
- Maitland Ward as Brilliance Blazenby/ Elizabeth Hedricks
- Clea DuVall as Samantha Stupendous/ Tracy Nixon
- Kerry Washington as Estelle Eclipse
- Orlando Bloom as Johnathen Backer
- Lynn Collins as Eclaire Earful
- Jessica Chastain as Flaming Fernley
- Kelly Reilly as Dead Penelope Peace/ The Disfigured Variations of Brilliance
- Jorma Taccone as Brilliance's Brother
- Lindsay Sloane as Samantha's Sister
- Marguerite Moreau as Izabelle Istania
- Danny Dyer as Alleyway Crook
- Ronnie Gene Blevins as Alleyway Crook
- Shirley MacLaine as Dead Penelope's Mother
- Elden Henson as Costume Man Ben
- Matthias Schoenarts as Costume Man Lazart
- Katherine Moennig as Former Model Julianna Junebell
- Liza Weill as Weak Willed Receptionist Petula Gibson
- Brian Presley as Lazart's Boyfriend Peter Chalk
- Zuleikha Robinson as Catwalk Instructor Jezebel Davies
- Johann Urb as the Bad Boy Billy/ Samantha's Boyfriend
- Alison Becker as Bad Boy Billy's Girlfriend Michelle
- Kiele Sanchez as Head Critic Clarmine Daniels
- Sam Jaeger as the Prop Boy
Soundtrack[]
- Green River- Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Pale Blue Eyes- The Velvet Underground
- You Can't Always Get What You Want- The Rolling Stones
- Something- The Beatles
- Who Knows Where The Time Goes?- Fairport Convention
- 21st Century Schizoid Man- King Crimson
- Many Rivers To Cross- Jimmy Cliff
- Proud Mary- Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Big Girls Don't Cry- Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
- Love Potion No.9- The Searchers
- The Letter- Box Tops
- Rag Doll- Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
- Bye Bye Baby (Baby Goodbye)- Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons