Measure of Revenge (2022)

Measure of Revenge has a hook you don’t see every day: a grieving stage actress chasing the truth while the roles she’s played literally step out of memory and imagination to argue with her, taunt her, and push her forward. Melissa Leo gives Lillian a lived-in ferocity that makes the film’s stylish flashbacks and theatrical allusions feel less like gimmicks and more like a mind trying to survive heartbreak by turning it into drama. The unlikely partnership with Bella Thorne’s Taz adds a charged, uneasy energy—part noir, part backstage fever dream—as the story keeps tightening its grip. It’s not a tidy, purely realistic thriller, and the script can be rough around the edges, but if you’re in the mood for something ambitious, moody, and a little surreal, it’s the kind of film that lingers and practically dares you to watch it twice.

Measure of Revenge wants to be a grief-soaked thriller about a mother refusing to accept a convenient explanation, with a theatrical twist where her past stage roles become the voices pushing her toward vengeance. The problem is the execution: the story often feels choppy and oddly staged, with muddled pacing and editing that can make key beats feel more confusing than tense. Melissa Leo brings real heft and commitment, and the premise has a pulpy, offbeat appeal, but the film’s coherence issues may leave you watching the mechanics instead of feeling the emotion. If you’re expecting a tight, suspenseful whodunit, this will likely frustrate you; if you can tolerate a messy, dreamier revenge drama for the performances and weird concept, you might get something out of it.