Spoiler-free #review is up. I recommend watchin it. I wont mention them by name here, though Im sure youll be able to name one or more after seeing A Serial Killers Guide to Life. Director/Screenplay Statin Cousins-Roe, Producers Giles Alderson, Poppy Roe, Statin Cousins-Roe & Charity Wakefield, Photography James Layton, Music Laurence Love Greed, Visual Effects Supervisor Anthony Brownmoore, Production Design Madelaine Leech. Even though there are a few slow moments, with a run time of approximately 80 minutes, Roes film keeps our attention because it remains focused on the two main characters. The best part was the end, I'll never get that time back again, only pleasurable part was seeing the actress who played Val, her big eyes and appeal kept me from turning it off. 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They begin with Lou being aloof and attending several self help, self healing type retreats that people sometimes take part in, most are crazy but it strikes a cord because couldn't we all use a good deep breath away from the hustle and bustle of the world and take in bit of nature and fresh air? Simply film, quite okay, mildly interesting as mentioned. [Brayben and Roe] portray these irredeemable characters in a likable way. Your email address will not be published. Being a single young woman who lives at home with her mother as basically a live in care taker , cooking, cleaning, bathing, etc. Image: Alex Bailey/Prime Video. Roe's Val isn't your typical killer, either: she's guarded, yes, but also nervous. Menu. 1 Hour 20 Minutes. It is somewhat amusing how naive Lou is, in regard to Vals extra-curricular activities, and how long it takes her to realize she is taking life advice from a psychopath. Val Stone. Val leaves her card and Lou goes to meet her. On the one hand, as a horror, it demands a taut, lean, thrill-ride, on the other, as a road movie, it would suggest a meandering, spiritual journey. At one of these seminars she meets Val (Poppy Rose) who is everything that Lou wants to be and is soon convinced to leave her life behind and join Val on the road. One aspect of the film didnt really work for me, and holds it back from a higher rating. We are subjected to way too many scenes where nothing happens other than Lou and Val sitting around talking about things, I just didnt care about in the first place. 1/2 Even the stabs at the pitiful absurdities of self-help gurus wasn't nearly as compelling as it should or could have been; in that sense, the writing lacked inexcusably. A SERIAL KILLER'S GUIDE TO LIFE will be released on iTunes and Digital HD January 13, 2020. Thoroughly enjoyed this having come to see it without knowing anything about it. Shortly thereafter, we see our main character listening to Noah through her headphones as she walks aimlessly. Tags 2019 A SERIAL KILLER'S GUIDE TO LIFE Ben Lloyd-Hughes Katie Brayben Poppy Roe Sarah Ball Sinead Matthews Staten Cousins Roe Tomiwa Edun. Lou takes her up and next thing we know, they hit the road At this point we are 10 min. Lou packs her things and sets off to find herself. It has a very interesting theme (which I won't spoil) that actually speaks for itself with very strong attention to detail, top performances and slick direction. This needed to go deeper, darker.& it definitely needed a murderous, wilin' out montage scene. In the space of just a few moments, the film provides a clear sense of Louises character and her mundane struggles. This film follows the wonderfully British tradition of darkly comic understatement! The two struggle, and Val is being overpowered when Lou kills the husband. A day later, at Val's invitation, Lou visits her at a caravan park. Serial murder meets self-help in A Serial Killer's Guide to Life - a darkly satirical cross between Thelma & Louise and Sightseers from the creative team behind the award-winning short film This Way Out (Best Comedy, Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2013). These arent people who have wronged her in any way, more than the most superficial. In like so many low budget independent films It has attitude and style in abundance thanks to Staten's sharp writing and confident directing as well as a great story together with a brilliant cast who all absolutly nail their roles. Apple Inc. It feels like the kind of horror-comedy which would rather invite you in for a nice cup of tea than horrify you. The likes of Killing Eve have shown even we British can engage in a gleeful embrace of the darker side of things. Here Plummer has been replaced by an altogether much more socially assured Poppy Roe, although the story of a girl being dragged along on another girls murderous spree is essentially the same. The basic plot kept reminding me of Michael Winterbottoms underrated Butterfly Kiss (1995). While it could be waved away with the unreliable narrator trope, I did find myself wishing the film had handled either this decision or its reveal differently. Our DoP, James Layton, helped source our camera. Our guide to the cast and characters of Mindhunter season 2, including the real-life versions of agents and serial killers featured in the show. Lou Farnt (Brayben) is stuck in her life, with a dead-end job, no apparent friends to speak of, and still living with her domineering mother (Ball). You did pretty good for your first time. Run time: 1h 48m. The short film, starring Poppy Roe, Katie Brayben, Sarah Ball, Christopher Gilling, and Adam. "[14], Commenting on the musical score, Josh Sandy of The Mancunion, the University of Manchester student newspaper, said it "is packed full of orchestral pieces. Bravo Mr. Roe for doing just that, the writer, the producer, the director, damn even the editor, absolutely a gem that I would be proud to show anyone looking a good recommendation. Yes, it is a quirky short story that has been stretched to make a film but it's still watchable. Lou is a poor, pitiful woman that is obsessed with a self-help guru. "A Serial Killer's Guide to Life" (2019 release from the UK; 80 min.) Note: not if, when. I wasnt expecting this movie to be a slasher flick or anything, but I was hoping there would have been a lot more death scenes and action in general. Lou is momentarily frozen by this unnecessary guilt trip. "[12], However, while Sep Gohrdani of the UK magazine VultureHound called it "an engaging, sharp, witty and darkly fun black comedy," he said it "doesn't quite live up to its full potential" because it "never manages to take the concept to the next level, and thus it remains watchable without being remarkable. At home, Lou discusses this opportunity with her mother over dinner. Poppy Roe as Val is what will draw you in, because shes positively electric, but as Lou, Katie Brayben absolutely transforms from a milksop to a fully-realized person, and its brilliant to see someone grab life by the horns and smack it in the forehead with a rolling pin. Soon Val and Lou are traveling the English countryside. The service requires full cookie support in order to view this website. The real highlight of the film is the interplay between Brayben and Roe. . . Kickstarter funded, but confidently directed, handsomely shot and played with perfect pitch by the two leads, A Serial Killer's Guide to Life is a homegrown horror . Addicted to self-help guides and guru's Lou becomes beguiled by a mysterious women (Val) who seems to have it all, amazing self confidence, clear life goals and a action plan to achieve them. Apple TV & Privacy A Serial Killers Guide to Life Leaves a Trail of Bodies and Gallows Humor. After premiering at film festivals in 2019, A Serial Killer's Guide to Life was released by Arrow Films to digital media / video on demand on 13 January 2020,[1] including the streaming channels Amazon Prime and Hulu and the cable channel Showtime. It was a fast and furious shoot, often getting one take and moving on. The same can be said for Poppy Roe as she does a great job bringing the character of Val to life. Katie Brayben, playing Lou, is possibly better known to Luther fans as Penny Leyton. Despite being flattered by the attention, Lou initially can't bring herself to leave home for an extended time for the first time. bloody, murderous road trip with Val doing all the killing during the first The message behind is hidden n this movie is totally underrated. Please enable cookies on your browser and try again. All that changes when she meets Val (Poppy Roe, The Big Finish), an ambitious life . [8], After premiering at the London FrightFest Film Festival on 24 August 2019,[3] it later played at such festivals as England's Grimmfest: Manchester's International Festival of Fantastic Film[9] and Fantastic Film Festival Australia. It tried to be off beat and witty but it felt like it was trying too hard. "Visualize who you want to become!" Poppy Roe and her drama-school schoolmate Katie Brayben starred. [16], 2019 film written and directed by Staten Cousins Roe, "[Review] 'A Serial Killer's Guide to Life' Takes Life Coaching in A New Direction", "How we made A Serial Killer's Guide To Life", "[Exclusive] Arrow Releasing Bloody Comedy 'A Serial Killer's Guide to Life' in January 2020; Watch the Trailer! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Film Review: A Serial Killers Guide to Life (2019), Critically Acclaimed Shudder OriginalATTACHMENT Queer Jewish Folk-Horror Romance, Out on Shudder Feb 9, Radiance Films Resurrects Unseen French Thriller A WOMAN KILLS For Blu-ray Debut February 7, 2023, Trailer Debut and New Artwork | LOCKWOOD & CO. created by Joe Cornish | Launching on Netflix 27 January. Unfortunately for Lou, Vals a serial killer!. Val Stone: Sarah Ball . Repeated viewings of the film only make these narrative choices stand out more noticeably. film review, The short film, starring Poppy Roe, Katie Brayben, Sarah Ball, Christopher Gilling, and Adam Venus, proves the perfect jumping-off point for a feature film. Director Staten Cousins Roe Writer Staten Cousins Roe Stars Katie Brayben Ben Lloyd-Hughes Poppy Roe See production, box office & company info Watch on Prime Video rent/buy from $1.99 Add to Watchlist 39 User reviews 38 Critic reviews Videos 2 Trailer 1:32 Nick is a self-described rock star journalist, which is strange, considering hes married with two kids and three cats. Their roles are vastly different, and the actresses portray these irredeemable characters in a likable way. "[13] Bryan Yentz of Rue Morgue felt the same way. The Science Fiction Horror and Fantasy Film Review. 2020, Not amused by her paying more attention to her audio device than she is with where shes walking, the guy tells her to watch where youre f*cking going. Her response is awkwardly mumbled. A Serial Killer's Guide to Life is a 2019 British satirical horror road movie written, directed, co-produced and co-edited by Staten Cousins Roe in his feature-length directorial debut. The various therapy sessions the pair of Lou and Val visit are all astonishingly real: back-to-nature, vibrational healing, rebirthing, and laughter all have their adherents, and after doing some reading up on each, it appears that the words and actions taken by the films fictional therapists arent being exaggerated for laughs. Watch jet-black comedy film! A Serial Killer's Guide to Life. All this changes on the day that Louise meets Val (Poppy Roe, who also edited and produced), a self-proclaimed life coach. 30 something, self-help addict, Lou wants nothing more than to escape her overly controlling mother and the dead-end seaside town where she grew up. Although fairly predictable, the story still keeps you watching and wondering where this little journey will go next. An unknown serial killer offing the favorites of Salem or Port Charles is a common storyline used on soaps, . Ironically, once Knoah realizes these are the two serial killers on the news, he says his publisher would just love their memoirs, and is on a phone call arranging a meeting when Val shoots him in the head. Marcus (Owain Rhys Davies), the vibrational healer and his herbal relaxant certainly needed that bread knife. Movie Review, Star: Katie Brayben, Poppy Roe, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Sarah Ball. Far from a mastermind, she acts knowing that eventually things will fall apart. Lover of good beer, bourbon, and horror flicks. The following morning, Val stabs the wife to death, with Lou witnessing the aftermath. Production Company Forward Motion Pictures. Lous life consists of mind-numbing routine, whether at her low-paying job as a shop clerk or at home with her overbearing mother. Really, though, its Lous growth and dawning realization as to Vals plan as well as the connectivity between the two which anchors A Serial Killers Guide To Life. While the documentary crew within that film know from the start that its protagonist is a serial killer, and Lou only gradually comes to the realization that Vals been knocking off folks as they drive about the British countryside, in both cases, the followers quickly become willing participants in the murders committed by the lead. [4][5] The film received favorable reviews.[2]. Quite simply a great piece of work. A radio briefly mentions that a woman has been found murdered at a caravan park. Most of the films kills are not overly violent, focusing on the end result as opposed to an abundance of gore. 2019. Spoilers The synopsis below may give away important plot points. The thing is though, Val is a cold-blooded serial killer who enjoys taking out whoever she wants in several gruesome ways. She is obsessed with bettering her life thanks to listening to a self-help guru that she is dying to meet in person. Internet Service Terms Low budget film making at its level best. Staten Cousins Roe, Previous post: Inherit the Viper Doesnt Bite, Next post: Disturbing the Peace is a Crime, All Original Content 2007-2011 Scene-Stealers.com | Privacy Policy, Stunning The Lighthouse Deserves Your Attention, I Kill Giants Doesnt Inspire the Way its Built To, Danny Boyles New Film Puts You In a Trance, Avengers: Age of Ultron is a beached whale of a film. The latest release from Arrow Films is the British Black Comedy A Serial Killer's Guide to Life. She seeks escape from one self-help guru after another, spending her money on their books, DVDs and audio-tapes, though with little or no apparent positive results. Certainly the area of self help guru's (who seem to know everything, yet still need to make money telling everyone else their secrets) should be made fun of. Katie Braybens performance as Lou is all soft-spoken, people pleasing ineffectuality. The character work between Lou and Val is the real highlight, along with the pitch-black humor. Lou stabs Val, who earlier had called the police in an attempt to frame Lou and escape. And a little murder a lot of murder. Oh how I ache to find great movies and it's always a delight to find a hidden gem. Currently you are able to watch "A Serial Killer's Guide to Life" streaming on ARROW, Paramount+ Showtime. 02/09/2020 Cast: Bella Ramsey, Billie Piper, Andrew Scott. She has a memory of herself killing her mother before leaving on this trip, with the image intercutting with that of Val murdering her mother. Either she regards them as a curse on humanity with their vapid schemes, or she simply wants to dispose of the competition. Writer, director, editor Staten Cousins-Roe has created a wonderfully dark world as seen through the eyes of Lou, a young woman trapped at home with a frightningly needy mother. Cleopatra Entertainment Unleashes The Long Dark Trail on Blu-ray/DVD! The films dark comedic aspects along with just the right character development and intrigue made this a very enjoyable watch. Depending on whether you give any credence to what the practitioners do or instead, view them as money-grubbing charlatans, your mileage may vary as to how stoked you are for their inevitable demise, but personally, I felt some of them definitely deserved it. Whilst the two women possess significant differences, one cant help but notice Lou has a well-hidden darkness lurking within her. She throws her food and then herself on the floor. Then during a visit to a birth-memory guru, and while Val waits in the hall, Lou begins to hallucinate. A Serial Killers Guide To Life follows Lou Farnt (Katie Brayben): a 30-something, self-help addict who wants nothing more than to escape her overly controlling mother and the dead-end seaside town where she grew up. I absolutely loved it. A Serial Killer's Guide to Life is a 2019 British satirical horror road movie written, directed, co-produced and co-edited by Staten Cousins Roe in his feature-length directorial debut. Val says she is departing on a journey the next morning. [6], The film, eventually titled A Serial Killer's Guide to Life, shot for two weeks across 28 locations[7] in Brighton and Sussex, England. 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