Some Guy Who Kills People

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                Filled with familiar faces, the unfortunately-titled film festival sweetheart “Some Guy Who Kills People” will leave you feeling as schizo as its main character.  Though the flow of the film seems a bit uneven, there are enough moments of suspense, violence, and, believe it or not, touching wholesomeness to keep you entertained.  It’s a revenge story with a twist, sandwiched around a sweet father-daughter reunion subplot that could force you to reexamine what’s truly important in your own life.  You know….everything you could ask for in a horror movie.

                Underrated indy veteran Kevin Corrigan (Goodfellas, Zebrahead, The Departed, True Romance, TV’s Grounded For Life, Big Fan, Pineapple Express, well…you get the point) plays awkward graphic novelist Ken Boyd.  The misunderstood Boyd is fresh out of the loony bin, courtesy of a torturous prank executed by some high school jocks which left him scarred and emotionally detached from others.  While working at an ice cream parlor, he daydreams of exacting his revenge on the thugs and hunting them down one-by-one.  Well one day...his dreams start to become reality.  The timelessly-incomparable Karen Black plays Boyd’s mother, both his support system and worst psychological enemy at the same time.  Struggling to get a hold of his psychosis, Boyd’s world is further thrown into upheaval by the sudden appearance of his 11-year-old estranged daughter Amy (Ariel Gade).  Her unplanned yet calming influence breathes new life into Ken’s adult world, even while his killer alter-ego threatens to tip the scales toward anarchy.

                I will say that overall, this is an enjoyable flick.  The mixture of the dark underbelly of the nighttime murders and the innocent subplot of a child and her biological father being reunited does tug at your heartstrings a little.  There are some truly graphic kills, but the gore isn’t over-the-top enough to disengage the viewer completely from all facets of the movie.  Gade’s portrayal of an uncomfortable junior high girl practically forcing the disillusioned Boyd to grow up and tow the other side of sanity is refreshing.  Sheriff Walt Fuller (accomplished actor Barry Bostwick) provides the majority of the light-hearted and humorously dim-witted moments that alleviate the more sinister moments.  Fuller is Boyd’s stepfather, so the inevitable move to charge his stepson with these heinous crimes provides another layer of self-reflective catharsis, albeit half-hearted.

                In addition to those already named, the recognizable cast also includes British import Lucy Davis (Shaun of the Dead), Boyd’s love interest and, in many ways, his psychological equal.  She’s aware of his sketchy past, yet still sees his potential that was seemingly snatched away on that one fateful night of terror.  My favorite cast member is the enigmatically-terrific Leo Fitzpatrick, who previously starred in the independent gems Kids, Bully and Storytelling.  Although nobody would label Fitzpatrick as a wonderful actor, he always manages to bring believability and, more importantly, likeability to his roles.  In “Some Guy”, he balances Ken out as his best friend Irv, an equally bitter young man that has been looking out for Boyd since they were in high school.  Not quite a yin to his yang, since they both seem to be yings, but certainly a fringe character that brings more to the table as the story progresses.

                Do I think “Some Guy Who Kills People” is a great movie?  Not really.  But thanks in large part to a wonderful cast that elevates the storyline, and the inclusion of a moving reunion subplot, it’s definitely worth the time.  It doesn’t quite have the horror chops to appease that hardcore niche audience, but there’s enough going on to make it an all-around solid On Demand selection.

Added: August 1st 2012
Reviewer: Sean McLaughlin
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