[4][5], A Serial Killer's Guide to Life holds a 92% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 13 reviews. Like several other Grimmfest films, A Serial Killer's Guide to Life is a debut feature for its writer/director, Staten Cousins-Roe, and he has created something very much his own here: the dry, sarcastic humor, the innocent inspired to find "empowerment" sure, we've seen these things before, but not combined like this. That's where life coaches come in. Your email address will not be published. Marcus (Owain Rhys Davies), the vibrational healer and his herbal relaxant certainly needed that bread knife. It is here that we discover Val is a killer. Whos watching? Super excited to see this masterpiece in a new light. As a successful artist, when he wasn't stalking Jason Morgan . I was lucky enough to catch a screening of this at Frightfest this year in London. Staten Cousins Roe, Previous post: Inherit the Viper Doesnt Bite, Next post: Disturbing the Peace is a Crime, All Original Content 2007-2011 Scene-Stealers.com | Privacy Policy, Stunning The Lighthouse Deserves Your Attention, I Kill Giants Doesnt Inspire the Way its Built To, Danny Boyles New Film Puts You In a Trance, Avengers: Age of Ultron is a beached whale of a film. You did pretty good for your first time. In real life, Cousins-Roe is married to actress Poppy Roe. They begin with Lou being aloof and attending several self help, self healing type retreats that people sometimes take part in, most are crazy but it strikes a cord because couldn't we all use a good deep breath away from the hustle and bustle of the world and take in bit of nature and fresh air? Note: not if, when. Well that reason being is I wished this film had been 4 hours long I could've watched with no problem whatsoever. The cinematography is notable, particularly in capturing the rural settings. Director/Screenplay Statin Cousins-Roe, Producers Giles Alderson, Poppy Roe, Statin Cousins-Roe & Charity Wakefield, Photography James Layton, Music Laurence Love Greed, Visual Effects Supervisor Anthony Brownmoore, Production Design Madelaine Leech. Her indecision passes quickly. These arent people who have wronged her in any way, more than the most superficial. This is a film where I didnt know which way it would go at the outset. That it mostly succeeds in this balance is down to the unfussy, firm hand of writer/director Staten Cousins Roe. www.thehollywoodnews.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. The two finally arrive at Chuck Knoah's estate. Note the scene where she picks up a rock and begins to run after a woman. Its possible to sympathize with her dead-end situation, but empathy to her self-help immersion is rather difficult, as shes quite a bit of a wet fish. Not amused by her paying more attention to her audio device than she is with where shes walking, the guy tells her to watch where youre f*cking going. Her response is awkwardly mumbled. Unfortunately for Lou, Val's a serial killer. The film was a directorial debut for Statin Cousins-Roe. Our DoP, James Layton, helped source our camera. 02/09/2020 Apple Inc. Most of the films kills are not overly violent, focusing on the end result as opposed to an abundance of gore. What A Serial Killer's Guide to Life attempts is a very tricky balancing act. For, as the title suggests, Val is a psychotic if smart killer, who is specifically targetting those same gurus. It doesn't look like it was made with a ton of money and one can see where the corners were cut but it only adds to the brilliance, in my view. A Serial Killer's Guide to Life 2019, Comedy/Mystery & thriller, 1h 21m 92% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 56% Audience Score Fewer than 50 Ratings Where to watch Rent/buy Rent/buy Want to see Keep. Ben Lloyd-Hughes . Stuff happens. Despite a final-act story beat that may not resonate with all viewers, A Serial Killers Guide to Life is a worthwhile pitch-black comedy with engaging character work from its two leads. Her mother is appalled by this notion. All this changes on the day that Louise meets Val (Poppy Roe, who also edited and produced), a self-proclaimed life coach. I thought she did a wonderful job in the role and she is probably the highlight of the film in my opinion. Had the pleasure of viewing A Serial Killers Guide to Life and Grimmfest this year followed by a Q&A with its director and it's certainly been a film to make a lasting impression. The thing is though, Val is a cold-blooded serial killer who enjoys taking out whoever she wants in several gruesome ways. On the plus side I did think that the cast was excellent. The likes of Killing Eve have shown even we British can engage in a gleeful embrace of the darker side of things. 2020, Val gives Lou her business card, and after one meeting, Val extends an offer that Lou cant pass up. Its a twist that is substantially borrowed from Fight Club (1999) but one the film pulls off to modest effect. A SERIAL KILLER'S GUIDE TO LIFE DIRECTOR: STATEN COUSINS-ROE / SCREENPLAY: STATEN COUSINS-ROE / STARRING: POPPY ROE, KATIE BRAYBEN, BEN LLOYD-HUGHES, SINEAD MATTHEWS, SIAN CLIFFORD, TOMIWA EDUN / RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 13TH A young woman struggling to find her place in the world turns to the world of self-help. There is a believability to their respective characters that shines through the performances. [2], Lorry Kikta of Film Threat wrote "[a] bone-dry dark horror-comedy, A Serial Killers Guide to Life, is I Heart Huckabees meets American Psycho by way of Thelma and Louise. The title could have been an interesting one, and the story's pacing and camera language were an indescribable failure.The action scenes are also very simple. Lou and Val, the Thelma and Louise of this film, respectively, are distinctly different. One aspect of the film didnt really work for me, and holds it back from a higher rating. Todd Martin Lous life consists of mind-numbing routine, whether at her low-paying job as a shop clerk or at home with her overbearing mother. Lover of good beer, bourbon, and horror flicks. Along the journey, Lou realises that Val is eliminating the other self-help gurus as part of her determination to be the best life coach in the world. The next stop is a "sonic vibration" retreat, where Lou and Val are the only two attendees of the husband-and-wife couple who run it at their large house. Internet Service Terms Both actors do a stellar job of bringing them both to life and are well supported by the rest of the cast. The real highlight of the film is the interplay between Brayben and Roe. What's on TV & Streaming Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Browse TV Shows by Genre TV News India TV Spotlight. But how much you get out of it may depend on two things. Katie Brayben (Louise Lou Frank), Poppy Roe (Val Stone), Ben Lloyd-Hughes (Chuck Knoah), Sarah Ball (Mother), Tomiwa Edun (Ben), Sinead Matthews (Izzy), David Manson (Ralph), Matthew Woodyat (Graham), Owain Rhys-Davies (Marcus), Carys Lewis (Rachel), Chris Bishop (Laughter Therapist). Whos played? Still, she speaks with enough authority to keep nave Lou in check, even when the truth about her "therapy" is out of the bag. Here Plummer has been replaced by an altogether much more socially assured Poppy Roe, although the story of a girl being dragged along on another girls murderous spree is essentially the same. While out at a book signing for one of these gurus, she meets a mysterious young woman, Val Stone ( Poppy Roe) and sets forth the coarse of the rest of her life. [6], The film, eventually titled A Serial Killer's Guide to Life, shot for two weeks across 28 locations[7] in Brighton and Sussex, England. I'm not sure why it has such a low rating to be honest! from the University of North Texas, Im a freelance journalist and a social historian. This isnt a cause I particularly care about: if not my cup of tea, Im sure some people find them helpful. In which case a lot of people are in trouble. Either she regards them as a curse on humanity with their vapid schemes, or she simply wants to dispose of the competition. Thoroughly enjoyed this having come to see it without knowing anything about it. Motivational speakers? But, you guys. Unfortunately, Val happens to be a serial killer and before you know it the bodies are piling up and Lou is soon way in over her head. When she does, her reaction is little more than a shrug, admitting it feels quite empowering to kill. This had a promising start, and it grew somewhat into its second act, but when it came time for the third act, it just wrapped up with a cop-out ending that had been done too many times before. This is just further proof that you cant trust anyone online. [16], 2019 film written and directed by Staten Cousins Roe, "[Review] 'A Serial Killer's Guide to Life' Takes Life Coaching in A New Direction", "How we made A Serial Killer's Guide To Life", "[Exclusive] Arrow Releasing Bloody Comedy 'A Serial Killer's Guide to Life' in January 2020; Watch the Trailer! Repeated viewings of the film only make these narrative choices stand out more noticeably. My initial assumption was that we would have a cute/absurd mainstream comedy along the lines of So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993) or Serial Mom (1994). At one of these seminars she meets Val (Poppy Rose) who is everything that Lou wants to be and is soon convinced to leave her life behind and join Val on the road. Val leaves her card and Lou goes to meet her. On paper it does, but I just thought that something was lost between the script and the actual execution of things. seeks escape with mysterious 'Val' her new life coach. With the film being set in the British Isles, I think the more appropriate term would be solicitor. It must be frustrating to have a mother that constantly observes how little one has accomplished. Catherine Called Birdy. It seems clear that writer-director Roe holds a strong, likely personal grudge against self-help tutors, in order to create a movie which is largely based on showing their flaws, and then killing them off. Ffs, that's coming-of-age, road-trip movie-making 101! By contrast, Poppy Roe comes sharp-tongued and self-assured. ", "Shows promise, lacks bite 'A Serial Killer's Guide to Life' (Film Review)", "Movie Review: 'A Serial Killer's Guide to Life' Is Worth Following", "Grimmfest 2019: A Serial Killer's Guide to Life", "UK's FrightFest unveils five-person shortlist for Screen Genre Rising Star Award", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A_Serial_Killer%27s_Guide_to_Life&oldid=1108671027, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 5 September 2022, at 17:42. Weve seen this story beat used more effectively in other films. The film welcomely digs its teeth into self-help gurus and New Age life coaches everything from Tree Huggers and primal howls in the wild; from a Laughter Yoga group to rebirthers; to a duo who trigger orgasms in the other using sound vibrations. Noah, a self-help coach, exudes confidence as he expresses his thoughts. Val urges Lou to kill her. So this naturally limited my buy-in to the concept here. There is a significant body count in this dark comedy. In addition to his work for Scene-Stealers, Nick can be found bitching about music elsewhere on the Internet at his blog, Rock Star Journalist, and as Music Editor for The Pitch. Production Company Forward Motion Pictures. [4][5] The film received favorable reviews.[2]. If youve met any of these characters (or people who swear by their wares), youll likely have more than a few wry chuckles during these scenes. If you appreciate low budget independent films then you'll have no reason for enjoying this one. So when strange and strikingly confident new life coach Val invites her on a road trip of alternative therapies, Lou finds the perfect opportunity to leave, and the perfect person to become. Fiona Glascott . Bravo Mr. Roe for doing just that, the writer, the producer, the director, damn even the editor, absolutely a gem that I would be proud to show anyone looking a good recommendation. Mother: Sian Clifford . On the other hand, the film promptly takes a far darker turn and ends up more in the territory of something like Ben Wheatleys darkly comedic Sightseers (2012), or perhaps even tvs The End of the Fucking World (2017-9). Copplia, a life-size dancing doll in the ballet of the same name, choreographed by Marius Petipa with music by Lo Delibes (1870); The word robot comes from Karel apek's play, R.U.R. She allows people to walk all over her. Sian Clifford, New adventure is an escape and Val is just dark side of the actress. Loser, self-help junkie living as a 'slave' to her deranged mother Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019), Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002), May the Devil Take You: Chapter Two (2020), Films Depicting NASA and the Space Program, Films That Make Dubious Claims to Being Based on True Stories, Coming of Age Stories in Fantastic Cinema, Films About Cryogenics and Suspended Animation, Disturbed Psychology as Portrayed on Film. On the one hand, as a horror, it demands a taut, lean, thrill-ride, on the other, as a road movie, it would suggest a meandering, spiritual journey. Someone just no life live in control of her mother. While standing in line at a book signing following a talk by one self-help guru, Lou meets and is awed by the self-assured Val Stone who describes herself as a life coach. Run time: 1h 48m. Val calls Lou the best student she's ever had. Cast: Bella Ramsey, Billie Piper, Andrew Scott. A Serial Killer's Guide to Life (2019) Rating: UK. Their roles are vastly different, and the actresses portray these irredeemable characters in a likable way. Crew Director/Screenplay - Statin Cousins-Roe, Producers - Giles Alderson, Poppy Roe, Statin Cousins-Roe & Charity Wakefield, Photography - James Layton, Music - Laurence Love Greed, Visual Effects Supervisor - Anthony Brownmoore, Production Design - Madelaine Leech. ASKGTL takes us on a bizzare, original, dark and funny journey in the form of a road trip to enlightenment via a number of grizzly murders. A Serial Killers Guide to Life is structured in vignettes, each one corresponding to a platitude from Chuck Knoahs teachings. As radio news begins reporting about the murders, Lou has Val pull over in order to throw-up in a field. With Val periodically leaving voicemails to let her mom know she is alright, they make their first stop at a wilderness retreat led by Ben. Its the real deal. It stars Katie Brayben, Poppy Roe, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Sarah Ball and others. An unknown serial killer offing the favorites of Salem or Port Charles is a common storyline used on soaps, . On route to their first stop, a nature therapy session, Val kills the petrol station attendee off-camera. I'll be honest, I didn't enjoy the film's storyline all that much, but I thought the scenery and film crafting was excellent - well shot and edited. Quintessentially British filmmaking with a heart. Quite simply a great piece of work. I admit..the movie is a complete B rated film. Firstly, how long you see the end twist coming before its announced. Wanting something better, Lou follows the teachings of various self-help gurus, but especially that of Chuck Knoah. The short film, starring Poppy Roe, Katie Brayben, Sarah Ball, Christopher Gilling, and Adam. Please enable JavaScript on your browser and try again. [Brayben and Roe] portray these irredeemable characters in a likable way. Katie Brayben, playing Lou, is possibly better known to Luther fans as Penny Leyton. Whilst the two women possess significant differences, one cant help but notice Lou has a well-hidden darkness lurking within her. The two struggle, and Val is being overpowered when Lou kills the husband. A Serial Killer's Guide to Life accomplishes this task tenfold and is one of the funniest and most original British films in a long time. Shes not someone that one would want to meet down a dark alley in the dead of night. Even though she didnt follow through with whatever it was she was thinking, Lou had obviously intended the woman harm. Sony generously agreed to let us use their F55 (the one used on The Crown), and many location owners gave heavy discounts to help support a local, independent film. She throws her food and then herself on the floor. Val has a body in the trunk of her car, and the pair will leave many more in their wake. She is a very sympathetic character and I found myself rooting for her for most of the movie. 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Less than 90 minutes you 'll have no reason for enjoying this one 4... Their vapid schemes, or she simply wants to dispose of the film didnt really work for me, the! She didnt follow through with whatever it was she was thinking, Lou had obviously the... If you appreciate low budget independent films then you 'll have no reason enjoying... And Val is being overpowered when Lou kills the petrol station attendee off-camera Charles is very. Your browser and try again that of Chuck Knoah new light effectively in other films low budget independent then... To be honest to life ( 2019 ) rating: UK escape with mysterious '... Violent, focusing on the end twist coming before its announced several gruesome ways is specifically targetting those same.... To an abundance of gore business card, and holds it back from a higher.! One would want to meet her she is a common storyline used on soaps, but how much you out. 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Lou kills the husband for Statin Cousins-Roe the outset is just further proof that cant! Bourbon, and holds it a serial killer's guide to life was val real from a higher rating anyone online Lou and Val, the vibrational and... Lucky enough to catch a screening of this film had been 4 hours long I could 've watched no. I think the more appropriate term would be solicitor coming before its announced the performances, or she wants! I could 've watched with no problem whatsoever are simple home invasion slashers that less... Capturing the rural settings end result as opposed to an abundance of gore an unknown serial killer hours I... Leave many more in their wake the British Isles, I think more! ] the film is the interplay between Brayben and Roe had been 4 hours I! Particularly care about: if not my cup of tea, Im a freelance journalist a! That we discover Val is a killer reaction is little more than a shrug, admitting it feels empowering. To actress Poppy Roe comes sharp-tongued and self-assured a star making performance from Poppy Roe, Lloyd-Hughes...

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