In the film’s opening scene, Jill receives a phone call from Heather’s jilted ex. He threatens to kill Heather, a promise that Jill relays to her boss with a casual coolness. Heather seems unfazed and is far more preoccupied with her decision to bail out of an upcoming film. By the time Heather and Jill return home that night, they will have encountered at least four people who might wish Heather harm. The actress, paranoid and afraid for her life, asks to borrow Jill’s gun: A choice that Jill will later regret.
“Gemini” has a breezy lethargy and the characters always look on the brink of sleep. With a cobalt and ultraviolet color scheme and a jazzy score, the movie seems to be cast in the dreariness of Hollywood dreams. Fear pierces through the somnambulist environment, as the characters grow increasingly paranoid over being constantly under surveillance. Unlike previous decades of noir, this takes on new significance in the era of TMZ and Instagram. The film redefines the idea of the California experience as living through a filter, as typical American stomping grounds are redesigned for a hyper-connected world.
Early on in the film, Jill and Heather are at a diner. It is decorated with neon signs, celebrity photos, and retro waitress outfits. It is self-aware kitsch, orchestrated to be hip and social media ready. When taking an order, the waitress asks if they would like some “apps, you know appetizers,” a kind of too-hip function of a place designed for influencers. As Heather steps outside for a moment, a young fan slides into the booth across from Jill. She has an uncanny resemblance to her favorite star, they even have the same distinct haircut with shaved sides and long, tight braids. Jill tries to get her to leave, but the wide-eyed ingenue wants to be a part of her favorite star’s orbit. When Heather returns, she gently agrees to a photo but things turn quickly sour, when the fan, with a bright beautiful smile, asks a question that oversteps all normal interpersonal boundaries.
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