So, let me get this out of the way first...a lot of great reviews for small, independent films, end up being composed by the friends and family of the director, producer, or various members of the cast. This is not that kind of review. Out of about 50 shorts and features playing at the 2015 New York Horror Show, my horror-loving best friend chose to see this one, and one other. Little did he know, The Shower turned out to take top awards at the festival--and boy, did it deserve it. The other film, not so much.
First off, great cast...which is an anomaly for films of this size and budget. The fact that the plot revolves around a bunch of actors in various stages of success may have made the roles easier to play, but that shouldn't take anything away from their convincing (and super funny) performances. The Shower is about a group of L.A. friends attending a baby shower, when all hell breaks loose, and a virus turns mild-mannered folk into homicidal maniacs.
If you love films that make you giggle one minute, and gasp the next, you'll have a great time at The Shower. From a killer clown to a little girl who deserves a serious time out, anyone can turn, at any time, which keeps the tension turned up nicely throughout. You'll love the characters you're supposed to love, and hate the ones you'll not miss once they get what's coming to them.
As far as tone goes, you have a little bit of pulpy goodness, served up Tarantino-style, with heavy doses of Shaun Of The Dead wackiness and humor. With that, I urge everyone who likes either or both to seek out The Shower. Aside from really enjoying the film, the thing that made it even more special was getting the chance to meet the writer/director, Alex Drummond. Alex was there during the showing of his film at Horror Fest, then stuck around afterward to answer questions.
Roughly 85% of the audience seemed to be friends, family, and extras from the film, so we could really tell how appreciative he was we chose to see his movie, with so many other movies available for viewing. He was funny, charming, gracious and affable, and answered all of our questions both during he Q&A, and afterward at the hotel bar. Oh, and he has dimples for days, but I would swear on a stack of bibles that had no bearing on my appreciation for the funny, twisted, scary slice of horror he served up with The Shower.
Not sure where you can see it, or when or how it will be released, but you can contact the Shower folks, and check out the trailer, at theshowerthemovie.com
