Review of I Am Not a Serial Killer (2016) by Phil T — 02 Nov 2016

Distributed by Monster Pictures and featuring a prominent role from Christopher Lloyd, I Am Not a Serial Killer sounded like an entertaining thriller.

I Am Not a Serial Killer corrects the issues made by so many crime, thriller and slasher films before it: it actually has an interesting protagonist. The central character in the film is a young boy named John Wayne Cleaver, a 15 year-old diagnosed sociopath whose fascination with a string of murders draws him into his own investigation of an elusive killer. The film has a similar character to the TV series Dexter (2006-2013) in many ways, though it does not make any attempts to try and replicate the show. It has its own character who is interesting enough for his sociopathic tendencies and how he struggles to maintain them when dealing with the frustrations of growing up and high school. It achieves this through some well-crafted dialogue which effectively conveys the relationship between John Wayne Cleaver and the various people around him, ranging from family to enemies and more. They all contribute to adding a greater understanding of the character and really ensuring we have someone interesting to follow in the story. I Am Not a Serial Killer presents a fresh spin on familiar tropes of a slasher film and a high school drama, intergrating them into the characterization of the protagonist really well.

This characterization sets up a good film which ultimately does not live up to its potential.

It's difficult to discuss the plot twist of I Am Not A Serial Killer without giving it away because it's such a core part of the narrative. By that I mean that it enters the film very early on. We understand that within the story there are as series of killings going on and we don't know the perpetrator, but it is revealed to audiences way too early on and gives away a major point of the film's entire mystery. From there we are left to an investigation of the aftermath, where the film goes into a change of genres. This sudden shift takes time to adjust to, and the story goes into a decline of interest. Most of the film's second act depicts the protagonist spying on the killer and attempting to think up a plan to stop him, doing so through with shots of him watching the killer as he stands around and says nothing. Even though I Am Not a Serial Killer has a more interesting protagonist than the standard thriller, the actual exploration of his identity and relationship to the killer takes a back seat when the film enters its second act. Given that the film is based on a novel it sounds possible that this exploration of character would have occured through the written words of his inner monlogue, but in the film everything just goes blank. I Am Not a Serial Killer has a very slow pace and fails to keep its investigation all that interesting once the plot twist is revealed, and so it is very much all downhill from there. And since this constitutes a lot of the film, the result is unsatisfying. If we had more time to understand the film's characters and build a stronger atmosphere before exposing the plot twist then it would have made a much greater impact. Unfortunately, the timing is all off in this film. And once the twst happens, the focus completely shifts from John Wayne Cleaver to the killer and we lose most of the characterization that separated I Am Not a Serial Killer from countless other generic films.

Though the narrative doesn't hold up as best as possible throughout I Am Not a Serial Killer, director Billy O'Brien's sense of style certainly does. Having been produced on a very low budget, I Am Not a Serial Killer gets away with its story though keeping the scale appropriately small. Since the focus rests predominantly on the protagonist, the film doesn't need to obsess over depicting experimental murder scenes but rather shows them with the technique of voyeurism. Sometimes we only hear characters die and then see their corpses. Though the villain's actions in regards to this may occasionally be depicted a little cheaply, it still works well enough. Though the film is slowly paced, the tension is maintained through the voyeuristic style of cinematography and the gently intense musical score. The visual style of the film is very much like one from the 1980's thanks to its slightly murky colour scheme and resolution, giving it a nostalgic feeling to the film. The scenery is also really nice with the snowy town providing a slight memory to films such as The Shining (1980). The visual effects evoke a more mi Ed response, but they're acceptable enough not to deal any damage to the film.

And since I Am Not a Serial Killer aims to be such a character-focused film, the demand for quality performances is fairly high. And even though we may not get to explore the characters in their entirety, the cast make a noble effort to offer their best talents.

Max Records makes for a well-cast leader. Recognised predominantly for his role as Max in Where the Wild Things Are (2009), Max Records steps up his game into a far more mature and adult role this time around. The actor manages to maintain much of his juvenile charm through how he plays into the coming-of-age themes of John Wayne Cleaver's high school experience, yet at the same time he carries the sophisticated understanding of the character's sociopathic struggles. He genuinely reaches a similar level of effect as Michael C. Hall's famous role as Dexter Morgan, but the two still remain different. John Wayne Cleaver lacks the inner monologue of Dexter Morgan even though it may have complimented the character's many layers, but he also shows himself as more emotionally vulnerable. His inability to grasp the shock value of the violence he obsessed over gives him an elusive intrigue yet his genuine struggles to accept himself and face his mother really makes for some emotionally powerful moments. Max Records ties the core of I Am Not a Serial Killer together by giving audiences a genuinely interesting protagonist to root for and be scared of at the same time; and the actor's natural dramatic heart really makes for a memorable performance. Some of the most powerful moments in the film comes from the interactions he shares with Laura Fraser who helps to provide a compelling mother-son dynamic to the narrative. Max Records' performance is one of the best reasons to see I Am Not a Serial Killer.

Christopher Lloyd is obviously a welcome cast member. Though his legacy lies in is presence in some of the most iconic films of the 1980's including Back to the Future (1985) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988), I Am Not a Serial Killer allows him a chance to take on a character who is both a simplistic archetype and one with much more hidden beneath his skin. Mr. Crowley seems like a basic friendly old man on the surface, but as his role in the plot twist rears its head we see a far more intimidating side to him. He is subtle but very dark in the way he confronts John Wayne Cleaver later on in the story, keeping audiences guessing with his unpredictability. Christopher Lloyd proves that he still has strong charisma to offer the world even in such a simple role, and longtime fans of his should rejoice to see him still active.

Laura Fraser also contributes a powerful effort. As her main role in the film is to depict he difficult relationship between April and her son, she really brings inherent motherly attributes to the role . In her small role she really conveys the struggle of having a sociopathic son by balancing her difficulties with understanding his mindset and her relentless dedication to love him no matter what. Though April's entire purpose is to contribute characterization to John Wayne Cleaver, Laura Fraser works the part with such strength that she more or less adds an entire sub-narrative to the film. Laura Fraser's presence is an essential attribute to I Am Not a Serial Killer.

I Am Not a Serial Killer's slow pace and poorly-timed plot twist may not make for the most interesting story, but the gentle atmospheric intensity, intelligent script and strong central performance from Max Records makes for an entertaining experience.