The Anatomy Of Monsters | Film Review

Movie trailers are funny. They have this ability to either sell or deter you on a movie. Sometimes, they get you ready for a whole different kind of movie than what you actually get. That is what happened with The Anatomy of Monsters. I immediately saw the cool poster art, but it came with a trailer that told me that this was going to be some sort painful art house knock-off of American Psycho. “Alright fellas, I am new here at The Hollywood Outsider, I will earn my keep and take this bullet for the team.” The suckers, this movie was great.

The plot unfolds like this: Andrew (Jesse Lee Keeter) lures Sarah (Tabitha Bastien) to a motel room after a night of flirting and drinking. Sarah quickly discovers his intentions were much darker.  What follows is a deadly game of cat and mouse filled with witty conversation, soul bearing confessions, tales of murder and amorality wrapped around an unconventional love story.

Sounds great right? Look, remember when I said that I was prepared for an art house knock-off of American Psycho? I was just thrilled with the surprise of something different.  When you read about the film, authors of those articles will use words like: “Gritty”, “John Cassavetes”, “Stranger Than Paradise”, and my personal favorite, “Gus Van Sant”. Those are all fine ways to describe and compare the film. However, someone came to mind more than anything else, “Kevin Smith”. Remember the days Kevin Smith brought us witty dialog driven movies with actors that seemed so far removed from Hollywood they could be sitting next to you right now? Those were the days right? Well, this lovely little film brought me back to that time. I had to look in the mirror to make sure I wasn’t wearing flannel sporting an amazing mane of long locks of hair, because I was sitting in a nostalgia bomb from the 90s.

Tabitha Bastien is an utter joy to watch and she completely carries the film from beginning to end. I know it doesn’t exactly sound like a resounding endorsement of her skills when I say there are parts of the movie where her timing seems off, or delivery could have been better. However, the amount of charm she has makes up for whatever missteps a few of her choices wrought. She is put in a few situations that would typically trigger my mind to see just how unrealistic they are, however, she has an earnest and intensity about her that makes it work. She seems to have an ability to activate chemistry with her costars at will, which is perfect for the role she was playing. If she isn’t a star in the making already, then she needs to be.

On the other hand, Jesse Lee Keeter, is where I have a few problems. Thankfully, his role is a lot smaller than expected thanks to the story telling elements and it’s difficult to quantify why I had so much trouble with him. There was something in his initial delivery that felt off (not awkward, the story would have made sense with awkward). It seemed like I was watching someone act instead of immerse themselves in the role, it was distracting. He does have a wonderful moment that showed exactly why he is in the film. At a point in the film he stands up and delivers the text book serial killer – actual serial killer, not fictional serial killer – rantings and ravings and he stuck the landing. It really felt like the lines were being delivered by Ted Bundy, BTK, and John Wayne Gacy, very creepy and good for him for making that moment work.   In contrast to Jesse Keeter, I do have to bring up Conner Marx. He plays Sarah’s love interest and deserves a nod. His character is a source of joy for Sarah, and whenever he was on screen the whole movie felt lighter. The two of them oozed charm off the screen. The way the story is told he is, in fact, the leading man in this story, and therefore deserves credit for his witty delivery and charm.

As for the story itself, it’s good. It’s different enough that I don’t immediately think of an analog to it. The pacing at times left a little to be desired, and at one point it tells a story within the story, however none of it was a deal breaker for me.

Ultimately, when this movie becomes available, watch it. The more I reflect on the movie, the more I appreciate what they were able to accomplish with the budget they were working with. It simmers well. In today’s age of redux after rehash after remake, The Anatomy of Monsters is unique enough to stand alone.