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“Invitation to Dance - It’s a Dance. And sometimes they turn the lights off in this ballroom. But we’ll dance anyway, you and I. Even in the Dark. Especially in the Dark. May I have the pleasure?” --- Stephen King ::::::::::: MY CRITERIA FOR DISCUSSION ENCOMPASSES THE HORROR GENRE AND BEYOND, SO I USE THE TERM "NIGHTMARE MOVIES". SPOILERS CAN OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT WARNING. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

The Loved Ones

October 29th 2010 04:09
The Loved Ones movie poster
"Prom Night can be torture." Great tagline. I love it. "You don’t have to die to go to hell." Another great tagline. An unashamedly over-the-top, black-as-smeared-mascara horror as perverse and demented as it is original, yet strangely familiar. He takes the teen romance a la prom night/birthday party and gives it the proverbial king hit with a wildly gruesome portrait of adolescent angst, self-pity, revenge and retribution. The Loved Ones (2009) is as bittersweetly ironic as its title might suggest … being a horror movie.

The Loved Ones Xavier Samuel
Xavier Samuel as Brent
It’s been delayed, but finally its here, the debut feature from Melbournian Sean Byrne who made the excellent short Advantage (2007), which screened at the MIFF last year, and screens this year at the SFF, with a nationwide theatrical release to follow in August. The Loved Ones stars Xavier Samuel as Brent, a grieving, handsome but shabby teenager, feeling dreadfully guilty of the accidental death of his father, his mother now a semi-catatonic wreck. He escapes into a haze of marijuana and grunge, and climbs his favourite rock to find temporary bliss. But not before turning down pretty-plain wallflower Lola (Robin McLeavy)’s invitation to the senior prom to go instead with Holly (Victoria Thaine). The seed of doom has been planted. Listening to loud music on his iPod means Brent is unawares …
The Loved Ones Robin McLeavy
Robin McLeavy as Lola
After the depressing home front set-up and the high school fallout the movie swerves into thriller territory, and then plunges headlong into twisted horror abandon, but with its tongue squirming violently in its cheek. Writer/director Byrne balances the precarious tightrope of heinous torture crimes infused with dark comedy. Lola is no doubt the product of bad parenting and a broken home. Well, not entirely broken, mother is still present, albeit a little worse for wear. It’s Lola’s father Eric (John Brumpton) that’s the concern. Lola’s the (rotten) apple of his eye, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make his little princess happy … especially on her birthday!
The Loved Ones John Brumpton
John Brumpton as daddy
A red-herring sub-plot has Brent’s buddy Sac (Richard Wilson) pluck up the courage to ask the school’s resident foxy Goth, Mia (Jessica McNamee) to be his prom night date. Seems she’s got nothing better to do, and besides she’s bored. Sac’s got booze and a decent muscle car, so she can drown her sorrows. Sac’s pretty sure he’ll get lucky. Mia’s dad’s the local cop, so he insists she be home none too late. But it’s Brent who isn’t home when Holly turns up looking all pretty for the prom …
The Loved Ones Jessica McNamee and Richard Wilson
Jessica McNamee as Mia and Richard Wilson as Sac
Most of The Loved Ones takes place in the small home of princess Lola and her folks, in fact much of the movie appears in real time (the whole movie takes place over the course of a day and night and early the following morning), which heightens the tension and creates a palpable sense of urgency. But most curious is the tilt of focus from Brent, the tortured protagonist, to Lola, the desperately lonely antagonist. As wicked and deranged as she is, her nightmare fantasy becomes the movie’s compelling centerpiece and her celebration an extended set-piece. So much so that the sub-plot of Sac and Mia becomes superfluous to the point of an irritating "Huh?"
The Loved Ones Victoria Thaine
Victoria Thaine as Holly
What makes The Loved Ones so remarkable is not just the gleefully vindictive, macabre, take-no-prisoners attitude, but – and hats off to the director and casting agent – Robin McLeavy’s performance as Lola. McLeavy’s extensive theatrical experience brings a world of nuance and subtlety to the role of daddy’s little girl all fucked up. She utterly commands the screen and steals the glittering, blood-splattered limelight from Xavier Samuel, who is pinned to the floor with a power-drill hole oozing cranial fluid. Yes, one needs to suspend a modicum of disbelief with some of The Loved Ones horror shenanigans, but I was okay with it, in that Evil Dead kind of way.

The Loved Ones Robin McLeavy and John Brumpton
Lola and Eric share a loving daddy-daughter moment
Also of note was another of John Brumpton’s creepy turns (he stood out in Storm Warning, 2007), the special effects make-up from Vaso Babic, and the effective use of source music (some homegrown classics put to good use) and the score. Sean Byrne has delivered an instant cult classic, flawed, yes, but there’s enough bloody good stuff (including references to other cult horrors) in there that elevates it to that rarefied status. This is one birthday party that’s a definite crowd-pleaser for horrorphiles.
The Loved Ones Robin McLeavy
Hell hath no fury like a princess scorned


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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews
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Comments
16 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Matt Shea

May 28th 2010 02:16
I've been quietly waiting to hear something about this, Bryn - it's been sounding very promising indeed. Glad it comes through with a Horrorphile thumbs up - hopefully it makes it north for BIFF.

Comment by Tracie.kj

May 28th 2010 03:22
Nice review, my thoughts exactly. Where's my power drill?

Comment by Bryn

May 28th 2010 04:35


Horrorphile
And what's in your basement?

Comment by Jason King

May 28th 2010 08:12


Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness

I am in on Monday night for it - I LOVE XAVIER SAMUEL. Ever since I saw him in September I have been hooked. Nice review Bryn - thanks

Comment by Tracie.kj

May 28th 2010 10:11
Maybe a young boy or two? Don't tell Dylan.

Comment by The Master

May 28th 2010 17:23
How ironic that her name is Lola (Lolita) but then again that was probebly done on purpose since the very name thanks to Nabokov's novel invokes an overly Sexualized and bratty girl.

Comment by Bryn

May 29th 2010 01:19


Horrorphile
Jason, the dark pleasure is all mine.

Tracie, I can see you in a pink dress.

Master, precisely.

Comment by JohnDoe

May 30th 2010 22:52


Film & TV on DVD
Well you have me intrigued, another antipodean contribution I may have to find on the other side.

Comment by The Master

June 3rd 2010 16:26
Speaking of Lolita, since you seem very intelligent and into different things you might like Lo's Diary by Pia Pera, it's the same story done from her point of view.

It's a little graphic (to say the least) and she curses like a truck driver but it was awesomely done. It's exactly the way I imagined she would be like based on Nabokov's book.


Comment by ShaunK

September 26th 2010 22:50


Screen Adventure
This looks great - glad to hear it doesnt suck!

I saw the trailer for this in cinemas and now I have the review to reinforce my intrigue.

bravo on the review

Comment by Bryn

September 27th 2010 02:49


Horrorphile
Cheers Shaun, the movie's limitations are off-set by its unbridled enthusiasm.

Comment by Natalina

October 31st 2010 19:51


My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog
I had never even HEARD of this one Bryn! Can't wait to see it.

Btw, a Happy Halloween to you and yours. I gave you a shoutout on Extraordinary Intelligence today. I hope you appreciate it. I think it's pretty awesome myself!

Really Long Link

Comment by Natalina

October 31st 2010 19:52


My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog
Ok that link doesn't appear to work. Trying again...

Really Long Link

Comment by merryl

November 6th 2010 05:36
Excellent movie!

I have a pink dress and a hammer ... I might have to go out and buy a power drill.

Comment by ShaunK

November 7th 2010 09:43


Screen Adventure
I was looking forward to it, but too much of it reminded me of that sort of 'Home and Away' film making. The sub-plot was just dull filler and it took me about ten minutes to recover everytime I heard that repeated "Am I not pretty enough" song, which was the most traumatic thing about the film.

I quite liked some of the horror portion of the film, specifically with the stuff in the basement, some of it was quite funny too, plus a little bit of incest goes along way, but I generally wasnt mad on it.

Comment by Bryn

November 7th 2010 23:11


Horrorphile
Merryl, glad you enjoyed it.

Shaun, to be honest, I didn't think you'd be overly impressed. It's a flawed screenplay for sure - especially the stunted sub-plot - but I still really enjoyed it.

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