As is her wont, [writer/director McArdle] is intent on mood, with atmosphere, cinematography and soundtrack reigning over proceedings, but at the expense of the story.
If nothing else its sense of dread is palpable throughout, the lighting and score simultaneously beautiful and panic inducing. It's best when wholly experiential.
For a film so assured, stylised and well-paced, [Aoife] McArdle has certainly made an impressive, and memorable, debut. Let's hope she has more stories to tell. Kissing Candice is not to be missed.
It's enigmatic, transgressive and full of maverick visual flair but Kissing Candice may leave you looking for answers. Possibly McArdle's intention all along.
Freed from the constraints of shorter formats, McArdle rushes around her 102-minute runtime with all the curious abandon of a goldfish moved from a small bowl to a massive aquarium.
Uncertainty in the storytelling during the final segment doesn't derail this brilliant debut, which is a visual treat that demands to be seen on the big screen.
