Former Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz shows off his acting chops in the new paranoid thriller The Black String. His character is put through the wringer, and Muniz proves himself capable of evincing all the emotions necessary to bring you along on his downward spiral of a journey.

Muniz plays Jonathan, a lonely convenience store clerk who one night calls a singles hotline. He goes on a date with a girl he talked to, named Dena, who is rather no-nonsense and sexually forward. They hook up that night, and the next morning, Jonathan awakens with a repulsive and painful rash on his body. He seeks out Dena for an explanation, but she is nowhere to be found. More scared and suspicious by the minute, he starts seeing things and loses his grip on reality. After attacking his coworker, he is locked up in a mental health facility, and before long, finds himself living on the street. All the while, he keeps trying to get to the bottom of what is causing his spreading rash and who Dena was. After a chance encounter with a psychic, he comes to believe there are nefarious forces at play and that they want him dead. Jonathan does all he can to save himself, dodging cops and others who want him locked up for good, but will it be enough?

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The real revelation in The Black String is Frankie Muniz’s acting abilities. I don’t believe he’s ever been called upon before to show such a dark side in a role. Dirty, fearful, and manic, this is Muniz as you’ve never seen him before. The former child star’s choice of the starring role in this film shows he’s interested in expanding what he’s known for and what people think him capable of. Also of note is Chelsea Edmundson’s performance as Dena. Though she doesn’t have many scenes, she does make quite an impact in her time onscreen, setting Muniz’s character off on his path of destruction.

First-time feature filmmakers Brian Hanson and Richard Handley do a bang-up job with this, their debut film. Inspired by the body horror movies of David Cronenberg and Roman Polanski’s early thriller work, they’ve made an American indie sister film that is reputable enough to stand alongside them. Having co-written the screenplay, Hanson handled directing duties and Handley produced, and their combined efforts succeed in bringing to the screen an assured, effective thriller.

The Black String surprises the viewer in many ways throughout its duration. Whether it’s coming to see a brand new, unexplored side of a well-known actor or the mysterious explanation for what befalls our lead Jonathan, if you’re watching this movie, you’re in for a shock.

Recommended if you liked: Black Swan, The Tenant, Rabid

The Black String is available on Digital and On Demand now!

FINAL GRADE: A-

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