We’ve seen our fair share of eat-the-rich horror where the wealthy upper class gets what they deserve from those they believe they have under their thumbs. Think Ready Or Not, The Menu, Snowpiercer, the list goes on. Continuing the trend is Beth Hanna and Jerren Lauder‘s lean and mean slasher You’re Killing Me, where high school students fight for their lives at a themed party.
Eden (McKaley Miller) is a bright student applying for college. She’s been waitlisted at her dream school and she decides her best bet is to ask her classmate Schroder (Brice Anthony Heller), son of a local Congressman (Dermot Mulroney), if his dad can write her a letter of recommendation. Coming from a working-class background, she wants to try and game the system and exploit the wealthy. That’s what they’ve done to her her whole life, right?
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She and her best friend Zara (Keyara Milliner) attend his Heave and Hell party while his parents are out of town. Donning white wings and space buns, Eden drags Zara into the party with the singular goal of making sure Eden gets that letter of recommendation. But, the night takes a turn when they discover Schroder and his friends’ involvement in the disappearance of a missing girl.
You’re Killing Me hits a lot of familiar beats, especially when it comes to the poor kids fighting the rich kids and their cronies. But where the film shines is in its cinematography and its performances, elevating the story into a fast-paced high school nightmare that almost feels possible. That pacing is to the film’s advantage as we hit the ground running with Eden and her plight. There’s no time wasted giving her a traumatic background or plodding sob story. Instead, Eden feels more believable as a character who just wants to get the hell out of this small town. The violence starts quickly and doesn’t let up until the credits roll.
Miller’s fast-talking portrayal of Eden matches the frenetic pace of the film as she tries to smooth-talk Schroder. And honestly, she’s really good at it. She’s funny, she’s charming, but she’s straightforward in her demands. Eden is no bullshit and confident, which is refreshing to see, especially in a teenage girl horror lead. That confidence only grows as she’s forced to protect herself, Zara, and even her father from this wealthy family.
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Oh, and this is a family affair as Schroder’s parents, played by Dermot Mulroney and the late Anne Heche, enter the equation. Sadly, this is where the pacing starts to sputter out. After heart-pumping sequences of teens jumping for iPhone chargers and falling off roofs, the parents’ inclusion slows everything down to the point that the momentum can’t quite pick back up. While Heche especially chews scenery like a pack of gum, this third act complication in You’re Killing Me ultimately stalls out the lean slasher.
While the third act fizzles, the performances never lose their shine which makes this an indie slasher worth watching. Miller is an avenging angel, quite literally, rolling, slashing, and sprinting through a hell adorned in dark oak paneling and luscious carpets that cost more than my yearly salary. Come for the class warfare, stay for the lush production design and stellar performances.
Summary
Come for the class warfare, stay for the lush production design and stellar performances.
Tags: Anne Heche Dermot Mulroney You’re Killing Me
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