“You’re Killing Me” – Just let me die [MOVIE REVIEW]
“You’re Killing Me,” directed by Beth Hann and Jerren Lauder and written by Walker Hare and Brad Martocello, is a mashup of several genres and, in its own way, a bit of fun, if definitely bloody. Not a masterpiece by any means but there’s probably an audience.
Wil Deusner as Gooch, Brice Anthony Heller as Schroder and Morgana Van Peebles as Kendra. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
Melissa Brown has gone missing from Torrington Prep and almost everyone is upset, but not so upset that they’ll put off the Angels and Devils party being given by Barrett Schroder, top boy at Prep and son of an important politician. Eden, waitlisted at her first choice college, knows that a letter of recommendation from Congressman Schroder will get her off the waitlist and into her dream school. A scholarship student, she’s invisible to the rich kids, Schroder included, but she figures that if she goes to his party she’s one step closer to that recommendation. Eden enlists her best friend Zara into crashing the event with her. Parties like that…no one notices who comes in or goes out.
McKaley Miller as Eden. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
What could possibly go wrong? Eden and Zara get into the party and things seem to be going their way. Eden wins a bet with Schroder and Zara befriends Schroder’s best friend Gooch. Gooch has a way with the liquor at the bar and before you know it, Zara is a walking zombie. Eden gets her upstairs to sleep it off and returns downstairs momentarily. Gooch returns and his motives aren’t pure but Eden catches him and shoos him off. And that’s when she finds the cell phone he left behind. Scrolling through the phone, Eden discovers a video of Schroder, Gooch and Kendra picking up Melissa on the day she disappeared. The video is ominous and it’s obvious that the trio was up to no good. When Schroder discovers that Eden is in possession of Gooch’s phone, all hell breaks loose and the trio will do anything to get that phone back.
Lots of mayhem that pauses temporarily when the Congressman and his wife return home unexpectedly. They bring with them a sense of calm and a giant checkbook. But will Eden succumb to pressure? Who will believe her?
Well, let’s leave it at that or you’ll have no reason to see this ode to teen slasher thrillers where the bad guys are your classmates and their parents, and not someone in a ski mask.
Dermott Mulroney as Congressman Schroder and Anne Heche as Mrs. Schroder. Photo Courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
Although the film goes on too long despite its 90 minute length, the cast’s enthusiasm gives it some Roger Corman style oomph that occasionally triumphs over the fairly bad acting. The teens are the stars with McKaley Miller as Eden leading the way. In support are Keyara Milliner as Zara, Brice Anthony Heller as Schroder, the preppy you were born to hate, Wil Deusner as Gooch, effectively stupid, and Morgana Van Peebles as the evil Kendra, star of the track team. Anne Heche plays Mrs. Schroder, and we hope that there will be a better final film for the late Ms. Heche to be remembered by. Dermott Mulroney as Congressman Schroder makes you want to believe that he’ll set things straight. But this being an election year…
So gird your loins and be prepared. There will be blood. Over and over and over again.
Opening April 7 at Lumiere at the Music Hall in Beverly Hills and On Digital.