Aaron Katz’ new neo-noir thriller, Gemini, is full of suspense, well-crafted and mysterious characters, and a visual style that is both alluring and pleasing to the eye.

While managing her celebrity client, Heather (Zoe Kravitz), Jill (Lola Kirke) must deal with upset filmmakers when Heather decides to quit their projects due to personal issues. However, later one night, Heather is mysteriously murdered by an unknown assailant and all fingers are pointing towards Jill. Jill knows that she is innocent though and must now find the real assailant to prove her innocence. With a hard-nosed detective (John Cho) on her tail, Jill slowly starts to unravel and gets closer to the truth.

Gemini has a visual style that many might feel is similar to Drive. The neon lights and bright colors set the scene and brings more positive feelings for moments that feel lonely, dark, and depressing. It also uses its Los Angeles landscapes to its fullest extent. The film takes its viewers to the more lavish and upscale mansions many think Los Angeles is made of as well as the more desolate and underground world that many looking for fame might find themselves in.

Jill is an excellent lead and Kirke’s performance showcases the character’s ability to adapt to new situations and problems. As she digs deeper into the truth, Jill is very watchful of her surroundings and pays very close attention to detail. This makes her a characters that audiences can get behind and root for, especially when the odds are completely against her.

Kravitz and Cho are well-rounded additions to the cast and their characters add more suspense and intrigue to the overall plot. Cho’s performance showcases the determination and mysterious that surrounds his detective persona. When on-screen, viewers will want to see more of his characters and fans of Cho will see this as a very different role compared to his past performance and will feel pleasantly surprised. Kravitz also holds her own and brings more fun and youthful feelings to the settings around her. Not to mention that she has great dynamics with Kirke, leading to some fun dialogue and unique moments.

Gemini’s strongest element is its murder-mystery plot that keeps audiences engaged and eagerly awaiting for what’s around the next corner. It keeps its audience guessing and audiences might feel a little surprised to truth that Jill eventually finds. Gemini also can feel a little self-aware at times and calls itself out on typical genre tropes. There are even moments that are a little meta, however, they feel right at home and flow naturally throughout the story.

The film’s ending, however, is the weakest part of Gemini and might make audiences feel a little duped. The film kind of just ends all of a sudden and tries to have more of an ambiguous ending when audiences would rather have a solid conclusion. It is something that can make the film, for some, feel like a bit of letdown.

Regardless, Gemini is a fun murder-mystery that uses its great cast and eye-catching visual style to keep audiences guessing. It’s dark, fresh, and truly suspenseful.