Split (2016)

Hard truth up front: Split takes a real mental health condition and turns it into a monster origin story, and no amount of great acting fixes that. Real people with that diagnosis aren’t villains, and the movie leans hard the other way. Now the part everyone talks about. James McAvoy switches between Dennis, Patricia and nine-year-old Hedwig with nothing but posture and voice, sometimes inside a single shot, and it’s a legit acting clinic. Anya Taylor-Joy does more with a stare than most actors do with a monologue. M. Night Shyamalan made it for a reported $9 million and it pulled $278.5 million worldwide, which tells you how strong the hook is. The flashbacks to Casey’s childhood are handled with care but sit heavy, so know that going in. Betty Buckley’s therapist scenes are the calmest, smartest stretches of the movie. A 6.6 because the performances deserve a 9 and the idea underneath them is closer to a 4. $37.99 says you check your back seat before getting in the car tonight.

What works: James McAvoy’s personality switches are a genuine acting clinic, and Anya Taylor-Joy holds the screen with almost no dialogue.

What doesn’t: It turns dissociative identity disorder into a horror gimmick, feeding a stigma that real people with the condition already live with.

Who it’s for: Thriller fans who want to watch a great actor go all out, and Shyamalan fans who stay for the very last scene.