A high school student finds it really difficult to blend in, isolating himself from friends and family while doing things that no one should be doing.
My Friend Dahmer invests in Jeff Dahmer’s character development while stealthily exposing American society. School and home, the two environments that play a catalytic role in a kid’s physical and emotional growth, become a case study for writer/director Marc Meyers, who adapts John Backderf’s homonymous book. Shot in the same town where Dahmer was raised, the film leaves its mark for the spine-chilling realism it offers, covering the raw brutality of loneliness, the harshness of bullying, the fear of coming out – even to oneself – and, ultimately, society’s success in… creating monsters.
Furthermore, Jamie Kirkpatrick’s editing patiently builds up the suspenseful narrative, and Daniel Katz’s photography accurately captures the 70s. As for the cast, Ross Lynch gets into character and nails his performance, as does the rest of the cast, who very successfully supports his effort. I’d like to seize this opportunity to state something that should have been obvious but, unfortunately, isn’t. Anne Heche is a wonderful and dynamic actress. Not only that, but she’s also a real-life heroine. I hope we get the chance to see her in more amazing roles like this one, as she still has so much more to offer to both the small and the silver screen.
Every joke made me sadder. Every prank made my heart skip a beat. Whenever the parents didn’t care about Jeff’s isolation from everyone but also himself, I felt like giving up. In the end, though, you step back, and everything becomes clear. What you have in front of you is all the ingredients you need to… “make a murderer”. I have not read the book, but I’d love to know the author’s self-criticism. How does he describe himself looking back?
Share your feelings. Respect one another. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated.
P.S. In a way, it reminded me of Michael Haneke’s Funny Games (1997/2007). Nothing to do with the content but with the absence of on-screen violence. I think it’s amazing.
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