Following the tragic death of her husband, Harper retreats to the English countryside seeking solace in a picturesque estate. However, her peace is short-lived; a series of increasingly unsettling encounters with the local townsmen leads her to question both her sanity and her safety.

On paper, an Alex Garland screenplay backed by A24 sounds like a prestige powerhouse—especially following the brilliance of Ex Machina. Unfortunately, Men doesn’t live up to its promise. What starts as a tense psychological thriller slowly…and then rapidly devolves into a heavy-handed arthouse experiment that seems designed for a very narrow audience. It simply tries too hard to turn every frame into a symbol—a frustrating trend in modern independent cinema. (Good luck deciphering any tangible meaning in The Killing of a Sacred Deer).

Independent filmmakers are a dedicated breed, often prioritizing craft over mainstream appeal, but there is a sense they’ve begun “selling out” to each other’s sensibilities rather than the audience’s. While Jessie Buckley and Paapa Essiedu are hauntingly believable as a couple trapped in a broken marriage, their performances are the lone bright spots in an otherwise alienating experience.

In honor of Joe Bob Briggs and the legacy of The Last Drive-In, The Cutting Room is moving to a 4-star system. For Men, the extra half-star is awarded strictly for the acting.

Final Cut: 1.5 / 4 Stars For the masochists or the brave souls who want to deconstruct it themselves, Men is currently streaming on HBO Max.