Review of I Am Not a Serial Killer (2016) by Kevin P — 06 Feb 2018

Strengths: I've got to commend the premise right off the bat. The idea of a sociopath tracking down a serial killer has intrigued me since the fourth season of Dexter. And those scenes end up delivering in this film, with the tension building each time. Christopher Lloyd (Bill Crowley) gives a chilling performance. It's easily his best work in decades. For the most part, Mex Records (John Wayne Cleaver) does a strong job as the lead character. The special effects are surprisingly strong for a low-budget film like this. Bill's kills look great, as does the ending scene where we see exactly what is going on.

Weaknesses: Though I praised Max Records' performance, there was one scene that stood out as a struggle. When he pulls a knife on his mother (Laura Fraser) in the kitchen, she does great, but something felt way off about his reaction. It was a rare miss for him that stood out. I also wasn't a huge fan of the decision to go with a monster being inside Crowley. It made it feel like the man was being controlled. I think things would've been stronger if John had to cope with his nice neighbor doing these things because he too was a sociopath. Lastly, some things feel implausible. When Bill nearly gets caught and murders two police officers, nothing seems to come of it. He just walks off and there's somehow not much of an investigation.

Overall: There are several flaws, but this is a good film overall. The two main characters do a great job together and their scenes are ripe with intensity. There were a few plot holes and a twist that keeps it from ranking higher for me. A strange, but very enjoyable film.