Violet & Daisy
2 Waffles!

I know many people are always looking for something different or under the radar to see as a great alternative to the summer blockbusters (sometimes, it’s more fun and pleasing to sit in an empty theater than packed in with 300 people who won’t stop checking their phones and need to repeat every line of dialogue). Whatever you say about it, Violet & Daisy is an alternative.

Violet (Alexis Bledel) and Daisy (Saoirse Ronan) are two teen ladies who love pop stars and fashion, but you have to earn your pay to afford all of that stuff, and they earn their money as skilled, in demand assassins. They might not want the latest job, but Violet ad Daisy need the cash, so they agree to hunt down a mysterious guy (James Gandolfini) who ripped off their gangster boss.

Of course, nothing really goes according to plan once they try to execute the man.

Violet & Daisy is a quirky movie touching on several genres, but never really excelling at the storytelling. Writer/director Geoffrey Fletcher seems to be putting together a showcase reel to prove he has versatility, but it doesn’t serve the movie well to be all over the map.

At times, the movie has a Pulp Fiction kind of vibe that is very funny, but then it also veers into artsy, surrealist territory that doesn’t help us understand the characters or story much, especially as the movie moves into a more dramatic territory that doesn’t have the emotional impact needed.

Violet & Daisy does feature some strong performances from Ronan and Bledel. Bledel adds an edge to Violet that takes the young actress beyond her normal whiny, whimpering little girl persona, while Ronan adds the naiveté to make us and the rest of the characters in the movie question whether or not these two ladies can handle the business.

It has been sitting on the shelf for a couple years, but Violet & Daisy deserves some attention.

Violet & Daisy is rated R for violence, disturbing behavior, and language.