This looked like a film with an interesting premise so I went into the theatre expecting something great, and well, I think every other reviewer has said the same thing; manage your expectations. I'll say again out loud for those at the back. MANAGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS.
Greta follows the lead protagonist (played by Chloe Grace Moretz) who is an innocent naive woman who has recently moved to the big city, and after finding a purse on a train and returning it, ends up caught in a thriving friendship that quickly turns toxic.
The premise of the film exists only on the idea that Frances (Chloe Grace Moretz) is so naive and new to the area that she makes so many horrendously stupid decisions. The whole film rests on Fraser doing the wrong thing. Any other person would never end up in the same situation because of common sense, and that really kills a lot of the potential suspense and tension of the film. You will find yourself groaning or yelling at the screen in frustration at many points.
The real standout performance comes from Greta (portrayed by Isabelle Huppert) who is great at playing a foreign older woman with a bit of an unhinged element to her character. Her performance is authentic enough to keep you watching, despite an unexciting plot. There are certain scenes that will quicken the heart rate and have you feeling awkward and unnerved, and it works very well with the character. At certain points, it feels like Huppert is taking influence from Michael Myers from Halloween, having very little action, but instead watching from the distance.
To put it bluntly, the plot is really boring. It doesn't provide anything new or exciting, instead, giving the viewer a very simple story that forecasts every twist long before it occurs. And while it's nice to have a chance to figure things out for ourselves, it isn't done in a subtle way. It is so in-your-face, that everyone in the theatre knows exactly what will happen, long before the protagonist knows, and it becomes a slow, meandering walk where you watch the character make bad decision after bad decision towards the place she should already be wary of.
The film feels so understated because it has so many little side-stories that end up being loose ends. There are many scenes that end up as filler, and many supporting characters that are unnecessary to drive the plot. Without any proper resolution, it leaves you feeling unsatisfied.
Everything to do with Isabelle Huppert is where the film does well. The portrayal of an overly attached and obsessive character, who turns to manipulation, deception, and stalking to try to extend a toxic relationship. In this technological era, it serves as a suitable warning to the younger ones, but it isn't really enough to justify checking out the film. Greta is mediocre. Nothing special at all.