Warning: Contains potential SPOILERS for MarloweNow that Jessica Lange’s latest vehicle Marlowe has flopped with critics, it is fair to say that the screen veteran is overdue a triumphant return to American Horror Story. Jessica Lange has had a long, storied career as a Hollywood star. First rising to prominence in the late ‘70s, Lange dominated the box office throughout the ‘80s with a string of string performances in a wide variety of roles. However, her recent screen outings haven’t seen Lange find much critical success.
In everything from the dark noir The Postman Always Rings Twice to the charming comedy Tootsie, to Martin Scorsese’s chilling Cape Fear, Lange proved she had versatile range and undeniable screen presence. As if this weren’t enough, 2009’s exceptional television movie Grey Gardens saw Lange win a well-deserved Prime-time Emmy. This led to the second wave of her career as Lange paired up with producer Ryan Murphy and starred in the first four seasons of the critically acclaimed horror series American Horror Story. Lange was instrumental in finding the offbeat, self-parodic campy tone of American Horror Story, a series that fused goofy melodrama with surprisingly dark, gruesome gore. Unfortunately, the post-AHS years have been less successful
Marlowe's Bad Reviews Continue Jessica Lange's Disappointing Post-AHS Movie Streak
The bad reviews received by Marlowe, Lange's return to the noir genre, prove that this is a disastrous attempted comeback for the actor. Marlowe earned a paltry 24% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the movie’s audience score scarcely faring better at 40%. All the movies that Lange has starred in since joining American Horror Story (and after wrapping up her run on the series) have received either mixed or poor reviews. Considering she was a major Oscar-winning film actress before American Horror Story, it seems her best shot at success now comes from TV, particularly via collaborations with Murphy. This was further reaffirmed when Lange teamed up with Ryan again for 2017’s superb real-life drama Feud.
The poor reviews for Lange's movies over the past decade prove she must return to the American Horror Story franchise, which has consistently given her critical success. Marlowe, like most seasons of American Horror Story, attempts to recapture a bygone cinematic genre. However, Marlowe takes itself too seriously. Conversely, Lange's 2016 movie Wild Oats was a critically derided comedy that leaned too hard on her comedic streak, a quality that American Horror Story utilized more subtly. Meanwhile, 2013’s In Secret was a flawed movie that saw Lange’s performance singled out for praise since—like American Horror Story—it gave the actor a darker role. As such, returning to a franchise that thrives in darkness seems a sensible move.
Marlowe's Failure Confirms Jessica Lange Needs To Return To AHS
While Lange is not to blame for the failure of Marlowe, the movie’s disastrous reception is proof that her best future would involve a return to the small screen. Lange excelled in the seasons of American Horror Story that the actor appeared in, and critical consensus on the series has only gone downhill since her departure. For American Horror Story to improve its reception and for Lange to make the most of her screen career, the franchise and its former star must be reunited. American Horror Story isn’t the same without Lange and, as Marlowe’s failure proves, the star needs the series, too.