Watch Dark Horse

Dark Horse is a dark comedy-drama film from 2011 directed by Todd Solondz, starring Jordan Gelber, Selma Blair, and Christopher Walken. It tells the story of Abe, a disillusioned man-child who still lives with his parents in their suburban New Jersey home. Abe has a dead-end job working for his father’s real estate company and spends most of his spare time collecting toys and other memorabilia from his childhood.

Abe is also deeply unhappy with his personal life. He has a strained relationship with his parents, who are constantly nagging him to find a girlfriend and start a family. He feels emasculated by his successful younger brother and resents his more attractive and successful colleagues at work. To make matters worse, he suffers from a chronic stomach condition that leaves him in constant pain.

One day, Abe meets Miranda (Selma Blair), a depressed and socially awkward woman who works at a nearby wedding venue. Despite Miranda’s obvious reluctance, Abe becomes fixated on her and begins to pursue her relentlessly, even though Miranda is clearly not interested in him. His dogged pursuit of Miranda begins to take on the dimensions of a full-blown obsession, as he begins to stalk her online and invade her personal space.

As Abe’s obsession with Miranda grows, so too does his frustration and resentment towards the rest of the world. His job and his family life become even more unbearable, and he begins to contemplate drastic measures to break free from his existence. Meanwhile, his parents struggle with their own marital problems, and his younger brother deals with the aftermath of a failed relationship.

Throughout the film, Abe is haunted by two visions: one of a knight in shining armor, representing his idealized self-image, and another of a dark horse, symbolizing his own negative feelings and impulses. These two figures alternate throughout the film and offer a metaphor for Abe’s own internal conflict between his desires for romantic fulfillment and his self-loathing.

Despite the heavy themes and subject matter, the film also offers moments of levity and humor. Christopher Walken delivers a standout performance as Jackie, the eccentric and mystic boss of Abe’s father, who provides a wry and philosophical perspective on the absurdity of life. Additionally, the film features several references to popular culture, particularly in the form of Abe’s toy collection.

In sum, Dark Horse is a dark and unsettling film that explores themes of loneliness, obsession, and disillusionment with modern life. It offers a refreshing departure from formulaic Hollywood fare and offers a welcome dose of authenticity and complexity.

Dark Horse is a 2011 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 24 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.9 and a MetaScore of 66.