Plucked
In Gilded Age New York, a woman’s decision to divorce her volatile husband turns a high-stakes evening into a vicious battle of jealousy, betrayal, and revenge.
Excerpt
Usher Morgan and Katie Vincent’s new film Plucked (2026) explores why some people hold on to the vestiges of nostalgia, tradition and the rigidity of gender roles… even if it kills them.
To Have and To Hold
Usher Morgan and Katie Vincent’s new film Plucked (2026) explores why some people hold on to the vestiges of nostalgia, tradition and the rigidity of gender roles… even if it kills them. There’s something awful and distracting about the idea of tradition. That ~thing that happens over and over until it becomes a standard in the way we live our lives. Something so cyclically constant that it nearly becomes a necessity. Take, for example, the notion of a white picket fence, 2 kids and a dog. Somewhere this image went from being the description of one type of home to the gold medal standard we should all thrive towards. Regardless of if we’re allergic to dogs… or to kids. We’re given our teenage years to rebel and once the time comes to start our lives, we lean back on old faithful to guide the way perpetuating this unending fairytale regardless of if it suits our lifestyle and interests. In another way, “tradition” could be identically identified as “insanity”. Both indicate the same mental state; the difference is that within insanity, one is disappointed by the lack of a different result, and in tradition, when the results do change, one is driven insane.
Whether to the brink of madness or murder (or both) is the theme of Plucked, a film about a marriage on the edge of disaster though that might not be the worst outcome depending on who you ask. We open in Westchester, NY during the heart of the Gilded Age where Katherine (Katie Vincent) has received a letter. The letter comes from a solicitor bearing news of relief for the young woman. She’s about to continue reading when she hears her husband, Dr. Peter Greene (Jared Canfield) arrives. She grabs a novel off of the shelf (“Poems of Emily Dickinson” which I found to be a wonderfully wry little easter egg) and heads outside while the house bustles around her. There’s a dinner party that Katherine is reluctant to attend, but she seems to gain new energy when she learns her request for divorce has been approved!
Katherine and her confidant Maggie (an Irish-tongued Catherine Curtain who always blesses the screen) ready Katherine for the party and get their goodbye’s and tidings of prosperous luck out of the way. The party is in full swing and almost jovial enough to cut through the tension brewing between Peter and Katherine, but it’s of no use. A betrayal into the evening shatters any remaining congeniality from Katherine and any semblance of innocence from Peter. Peter claims he has to go do a housecall to a far away patient and the dinner party must be cut short. Katherine tells the maid staff to go out and have fun and the only people left are Katherine and her brother-in-law James (J Anthony Crane).
Another betrayal is revealed which leads to the lid flying off the pressure cooker of the evening and exploding in raw, nearly rabid violence in the name of bitter anger and revenge.
To Honor and Obey
Plucked’s brilliance isn’t just in the text, but in the openness of the subtext. Throughout the film there’s not much discussion about why Katherine and Peter’s marriage actually failed. This leads the viewer to the most probable conclusion: their marriage’s end came via “death by a thousand cuts”. It wasn’t just one thing, but several things over time that accumulated and one day Katherine realized she was stuck. As the film progresses we get glimpses into her and Peter’s wedding day. Kathering is ravishing in white with her auburn hair artfully styled beneath a white lacy veil. The fabric can’t hide the happiness, hope and love on her face. It’s reflected in the way Peter beams back at her.
So how does one go from idyllic youth to the harsh realities of coupled adulthood? Is it even possible? We do learn of Peter’s desires and wishes; he says he wanted Kathine to “love ME, to dote on ME, to care about… I wanted to feel like the man of the house”. This simple statement reveals so much, not only about Peter’s entitlement and shallow pride, but also his view of Katherine. They go back and forth blaming the other for changing but I think the truth lies in something deeper. Consider that Katherine’s “change” was due to Peter finally seeing her a person and not an accessory. And Peter’s “change” was due to his dishonesty in being what he believed Katherine would want until he had the ability to drop the act. Whether intentional or not. Plucked does an excellent job of showing the positive and negative aspects of selfishness. On its own selfishness doesn’t have to be so bad, but when paired with bitterness, entitlement and regret, it can grow into an ugly state of being.
We see this in Peter’s transformation through the film. At one point I thought, babes, just call it, you’re cooked, my guy. But Peter possesses a stubborn refusal to give up. Even knowing he’s lost there’s something in him that’s “leaving here with something!” It’d be almost admirable if he weren’t so terrible!
Till Death Do Us Part
I’m not overly familiar with Usher Morgan’s work, but together he and Vincent created a taut dark romantic thriller. They delivered a film that was grounded and easily accessible. Each character had a purpose and didn’t outstay their welcome. The film is well paced and filled with just enough twists and turns to keep the audience engaged. It’s truly a valiant effort and I look forward to seeing what the team has in store next.
What I Didn’t Like:
It’s not that I didn’t like this moment and more that I wanted it and didn’t get it! We all know the rule of Chekov’s gun? If you show a gun in the first act, it better go off at some point in the play. The same applies in Plucked but maybe it should be called Chekov’s syringe?
What I Liked:
Crane’s “dastardly deviant!” “capital R Rake” performance was perfectly executed and never fell into caricature. You could tell he was the brother who always got his way and the only person who could disarm him married his baby brother.
Another side character standout was Commissioner Nigel played by Bryant Carroll. Playing a bumbling, overly confident sloppy drunkard that somehow avoided clownish territory was extremely well done. He also provides a moment that comes back beautifully as it drives the film to its ultimate conclusion.
What I Loved!:
I learned that Vincent also served as costume curator for the shoot and the costumes she’s chosen for the film are absolutely sumptuous. They were sourced from Ukrainian designers and featured deep and rich reds and blues that helped fill out the atmosphere in a way that didn’t just represent wealth, but stability. I applaud anyone who can make a film for little money, but special recognition is reserved for those who have high concept takes on a budget and are successful. Period pieces can be extremely taxing on a production and being able to pull them off believably and as aesthetically appealing as the environments in Plucked are is a great show of skill and resourcefulness.
I also want to mention the allusions to the lives of women during this time period. I thought it was so layered and nuanced without being preachy. We do get a scene where Katherine talks about a woman changing her name and losing her rights to herself and her identity. This is on display through the entire film. We have many moments where Peter abuses the adage “What’s yours is mine” in an almost mocking tone. We also see another character Diane (Hsiang-Lynn Pai) as she’s sat next to Nigel. His grotesqueness invades her space and she’s forced to make room. To laugh along and smile. Another dinner guest, Emilie (Susan Gallagher) chides Katherine for her lateness and then passive aggressively rage baits her. It’s an interesting duality – being jealous of another woman for refusing to bow to gender-based social norms, while also being angry on the behalf of women who do bow. You can’t benefit from benevolent sexism if everyone is not on board. And Emilie’s insistence to “other” Katherine if she won’t conform is wildly interesting.
Overall, Plucked is a great film that will have you discussing its themes well past the watch. It’s beautifully directed with strong performances inside of a convincing vintage setpiece. I recommend it to anyone who likes to see women persevere and break free from their cages.
Plucked is in select theaters now and will be available on VOD soon. Please check out their website for more information!
Score: 8/10
Trailer: