With a title like that, how could I resist! This is the first feature film from director Boris Rodriguez who, on the strength of this movie, I predict great things from in the future. Mixing horror with comedy is a delicate balance. Here though, equilibrium is mostly achieved. Humour is genuinely funny whilst Eddie’s kills are suitably gruesome.
Lars Olafssen, (Thure Lindhart) an artist who’s slipped from the limelight he once graced, takes a job at an art school in an isolated Canadian town called Koda Lake. He’s been very unproductive recently, to the annoyance of his quote spewing agent (the wonderful Stephen McHattie). At his new home, Olafssen unwittingly finds himself taking in Eddie; a loveable mute with learning difficulties who’s been left homeless after the death of his aunt; a major patron of the art school. Eddie is shy and good natured, apart from his habit of going on sleepwalking killing sprees when he’s under emotional stress. Olafssen finds this bloodletting to be his muse, enabling him to start painting again. But will he keep encouraging Eddie’s homicidal wanderings in order to keep up his own productivity? And how long will it be before sardonic Police Chief Verner (Paul Braunstein) catches up with the duo?
Casting for this movie is near perfect. Rodriguez wanted a natural star for the role of Olafssen. Unable to find any in his native country, he looked abroad and found Lindhart; who manages to purvey his character so well that even when he’s manipulating Eddie into ripping folk apart, the audience still roots for him. Eddie is played by Dylan Smith (also known as Dylan Scott Smith). He gives Eddie’s two natures of such distinctiveness that sometimes it’s hard to equate the Eddie smeared in blood chasing victims with the Eddie who sits quietly and smiles bashfully when his paintings are praised. Smith and Lindhardt are an effective team. When Olfassen deliberately tries to upset Eddie (so that he goes out to kill) it is genuinely unpleasant as we can believe that Eddie loves him. Look out for Smith in the 2012 Total Recall, where he has a small role.
Another important character is Lesley (Georgina Reilly), who also teaches at the art school. She provides Olafssen’s love interest, drawn to him by his former fame and how the paintings he’s suddenly producing are financing the school’s survival. There’s nothing particularly noteworthy about Reilly’s handling of the role, but importantly, she holds her own with the leads.
The humour is jet black farce and surrealism, helped along with some snappy dialogue; especially from Chief Verner. Only once does the comedy fail – the voiceover during the beginning of the closing credits felt too silly and at odds with the rest of the movie. I also thought the end plot twist was unnecessary
Interestingly, the original script had a writer getting inspiration from the killings of a werewolf he befriends. Rodriguez drew inspiration from David Lynch’s high tone approach to horror and the performances in the Cohen Brother’s 1996 release Fargo whilst directing. If you are a fan of horror movies, or dark comedies you are almost guaranteed to enjoy this film. Rodriguez has been so taken with the reception horror lovers have given his work that he now plans to work in the genre again. Let’s hope he does.
Director: Boris Rodriguez
Cast: Thure Lindhart, Dylan Smith, Georgina Reilly, Paul Braunstein, Stephen McHattie
Runtime: 83 mins
Country: Canada, Denmark
Film Rating: 
