The Guardian April 5, 2018 It is Bret Easton Ellis out of Patricia Highsmith, and there’s also an interesting touch of Lady Macbeth’s murderous MO.
Rolling Stone March 9, 2018 Set in the opulent, WASP-y world of teen divas with killer instincts, Cory Finley’s deliciously depraved satire skewers an empathy drain that...
Thank goodness, the film stays on track and Cooke’s character, especially, keeps on confounding us.
indieWire January 27, 2017 Tense and tightly coiled.
A fidget. An averted glance. An exasperated, darting look. These are the building blocks of noir, and "Thoroughbreds" is confident enough to establ...
It starts out strong but ends up basic, lacking the complexity of "Heavenly Creatures" or even "Wild Things."
Village Voice March 7, 2018 You may surprise yourself … when, in the final scenes, you realize just how much horror this writer-director and his excellent cast have convinced...
No question, writer-director Cory Finley achieves his one clear goal, which is marking himself out as a name to watch.
RogerEbert.com March 9, 2018 Finley remains true to his vision, and it’s a thrilling spectacle to behold.
What a calling card for Cory Finley, and this could be the last outing for its leads before superstardom beckons.
Remember the name Cory Finley.
Remember the name Corey Finley. This fellow will go far.
AV Club September 26, 2017 [Thoroughbred] manages to pull off the tricky feat of keeping the audience engaged with very disengaged characters
Although there are a few missteps, the movie boasts a deliciously dark tone that makes for compelling viewing.
I would argue there’s some humanity creeping around the edges of Thoroughbreds-and even a screwed up love story of sorts. You just have...
Slant Magazine March 5, 2018 Cory Finley’s screenplay is full of sharp, exactingly timed exchanges whose rat-a-tat rhythms exert a spellbinding pull, even if the dia...
Thoroughbreds, in other words, has been made with diabolical craft and intelligence, the kind that marks director [Cory] Finley as a major new...
Thoroughbreds was written and directed by first-time filmmaker Cory Finley, and for other amateurs it’s a masterclass in squeezing everything...
Austin Chronicle September 26, 2017 For all its clear theatre-bound roots, Thoroughbreds never once feels stagey. [Cory] Finley makes audacious cinematic decisions.
RogerEbert.com January 26, 2017 A razor-sharp horror/satire that plays like an update of Heavenly Creatures for the era of the Kardashians.
Chicago Reader July 27, 2018 Cory Finley uses the clipped dialogue of film noir to heighten the sense of menace.
812filmreviews August 27, 2018 Sterile. Cerebral. Methodical. Those are the best words to describe Writer and Director Cory Finley’s Thoroughbreds.
Thoroughbreds feels undeniably slight at times, even unfinished. But it’s also a fun, sharp shock of a movie; a poison dart with it...
The problem with Thoroughbreds is that a feature-length dialogue between two sociopaths does not make for very compelling drama, or comedy, fo...
It plays at times like a new take on Strangers on a Train in which both parties commit to unspeakable acts without any reservations.
First-time director Cory Finley makes a bold arrival with the pulpy, twisty psycho-thriller Thoroughbred.
Pajiba September 27, 2017 (Thoroughbreds) makes Heathers look like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
guidelive.com March 8, 2018 Thoroughbreds is a film of exquisite style and deceptive substance.
Individually, these two young women are insufferable. Bored and suffering from rich white female priveleg-itis, they have distinctly first-world pr...
Detroit News March 9, 2018 "Thoroughbreds" is a delightfully nasty piece of work, a sharp, biting, dark teen comic-drama with an attitude to rival "Heathers."
The Atlantic March 9, 2018 For those seeking a wickedly dark little confection, Thoroughbreds should prove a diverting watch; but those looking for anything deeper will...
New York Times March 8, 2018 For all the chatter and intrigue, Mr. Finley never settles on a point or theme.
Spending 90 minutes with a pair of teenage sociopaths may not sound like your idea of entertainment, but these two are a peculiarly...
Boston Globe March 8, 2018 More than a pure actors' director, Finley shows himself to be a theater product with a strikingly clear cinematic vision.
It’s a killing movie in all senses. It sways like a cobra preparing to strike; and it is creepily, creepingly funny.
If you don’t mind your movies nasty, brutish, and slight, you couldn’t ask for a more delectable chocolate-covered razor blade.
Globe and Mail March 10, 2018 Thoroughbreds is not for the faint of heart. It’s a psychological thriller that explores what human nature is capable of when drained of...
Finley … combines a gift for tart and taut dialogue with a natural cinematic flair that heightens the drama.
Irish Times April 13, 2018 It’s sharp. It’s clever. It features a delightful final performance from Anton Yelchin…
The Guardian April 8, 2018 Elegant, cruel and precise in its commentary on the turmoil inherent in being a teenage girl, the film works brilliantly up until the final ac...