I knew the movie was out there since filming began. I followed Dan Wells's posts as he updated the fans of both him and his novel, I Am Not a Serial Killer. So, when it was first released and later when it hit Netflix, I made it a point to watch it.
And I did watch it--just a few years later.
There's so many things I liked about the film. I liked the style. It had a gritty, real "meat-and-potatoes" feel. It's set in winter in a small town in Minnesota and I felt like I was a visitor in a place that made me uncomfortable. The snow added a layer of isolation for the characters.
If you're not familiar with the book, it's more the story of how a teenager deals with his inner demons and then, the real demon he faces in the story (sorry, spoiler alert...). I should re-read the book again because I kept thinking back and wondering if a particular scene in the film was in the book. I've forgotten a lot of details from the book, but I do remember how Wells masterfully created a character in John Cleaver that both terrifies us and earns our sympathy at the same time. When John learns the mystery of why (and, more importantly, how...) the citizens of his small town are dying, he's probably the best one in the entire city to deal with the situation.
I don't know the budget they had for this film. It looked like the filmmakers were frugal in how they spent their money, but for me, this added to its charm. I wanted to see John overcome the battles both inside and outside his own mind. The film showed me that. We see a strange kid who knows himself and what he is. And, of course, watching Christopher Lloyd as the neighbor was a genius example of casting.
I Am Not a Serial Killer is a great little film that worked for me. Then again, I wanted it to succeed. I was glad to hear the film was being made, glad the story would read a whole new audience. And, perhaps the best thing I can say about the film--the best news I can give to Dan Wells--watching the film made me want to read the book again.
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