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Todd
USA 2021
produced by AJ Belongia, James Catizone, Travis Cecil, Emily Ann Cecil, Joanna Fang, Aaron Jackson, Lisa Wassel, Aaron Warren, Hans Hernke, Peter A. Lees (executive), Steven M. Smith (executive), Trace De La Torre (executive), Christopher S. Begley (executive), Doug Wall (executive) for Pain Productions, SFN Productions, Dangerous Curves Productions, Am I The Butterfly, Greenway Entertainment
directed by Aaron Warren
starring Aaron Jackson, Hans Hernke, Laura Stetman, Clare Lopez, Jason Menz, Rhonda Cusumano, Savannah Grace Elmer, Eliana Ghen, Michael Winslow, Mercedes Gutierrez, Calvin Waldau, Robert C. Barnes, Vinny Burruto, William Henderson
story by Aaron Warren, screenplay by James Catizone, music by Mark D'Errico
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Todd (Hans Hernke) is a man with enough psychological and social
problems that others classify him as "weirdo", so in a way it's
a good thing that he has sessions with psychiatrist Dr. Miller (Aaron
Jackson) - but what's not so good is that he never takes Dr. Miller's
advice to try and find a job and to socialize, instead just wants the
doctor to change his prescription every other week. And Dr. Miller doesn't
take their sessions too lightly, either, as they build up frustrations
inside of him, which he eventually acts out on his wife Kate (Rhonda
Cusumano) and daughter Ashley (Savannah Grace Elmer) - besides taking to
drinking at Jake's (Michael Winslow) bar. One day, Todd (literally)
bumps into waitress Amy (Laura Stetman) in the streets, and he takes to
her almost immediately - which leads to him paying frequent visits to the
restaurant she works at, but after a time also trying to find out where
she lives. Now Amy's a wannabe actress, with dreams of one day going to
Hollywood, so when she one day meets an actual "movie star"
(Jason Menz), she's a total pushover and lets him seduce her in no time -
without getting anything in return. Todd is not happy with Dr. Miller's
treatment anymore, and leaves his care after a disagreement. But he now
tries to find out where Dr. Miller lives - and with Todd under no
medication and without psychiatric supervision, he's just a ticking
timebomb ripe to go off ... Now while this movie sure makes
generous use of psycho thriller tropes, it's by no means your
run-of-the-mill thriller, basically because it doesn't center its story
around suspense setpieces, instead develops its characters to the fullest,
and this way manages to create a proper feeling of unease, which unloads
itself in the finale in a rather unexpected way. And thanks to a very
subtle directorial effort and a strong ensemble cast, this tactic works
out very well, making this one rather cool if disturbing genre piece.
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review © by Mike Haberfelner
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Robots and rats,
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Tales to Chill Your Bones to
the new anthology by Michael Haberfelner
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