Destroyer (2018)

A burned out Los Angeles police officer (Nicole Kidman) , who's estranged from her teenage daughter (Jade Pettyjohn), must confront the demons from her past when as a young police officer, an undercover assignment she was working on went deadly and horribly wrong. Directed by Karyn Kusama (THE INVITATION), this raw and gritty police thriller (shot on the streets of L.A.) is reminiscent of those 70s police films like THE FRENCH CONNECTION and SERPICO but also with Kidman in a complex and fierce performance, KLUTE comes to mind too. I don't think I've seen an actress go this far with a role since Charlize Theron in MONSTER fifteen years ago. Kidman's performance dominates the film (she's onscreen 98%) and propels it forward and Karyn Kusama takes care of the rest! It's a film rich in textured layers yet sadly, perhaps too painful and dark for mainstream success. One of the best films I've seen this year and Kidman's performance should put her in the front of the line in the upcoming awards season. The stellar cast includes Sebastian Stan, Bradley Whitford, Tatiana Maslany, Scoot McNairy and Toby Kebbell.