Dear Mr. Gacy

This is a difficult movie to watch. I rented it over the holiday week for entertainment.

I felt the movie draws the viewer into the emotional sea of conflict and any flick that can do that, in my estimation is superior.

Certain parts are very difficult because they deal with sexuality , ciminiality and morals all at once.

The flick should not be rejected simply because it might to thought to be anti-gay. There were parts that I thought could pander to homophobic people.

I would recommend it and advise imagine you are 18 years old and dealing with a psychological experiment where you become the bait for the vampire.

It's surprising that the substantial bulk of serial killer movies has yet to render anything really compelling about one of its most complex and twisted subjects --- John Wayne Gacy. The sheer number of accredited murders combined with the episodic series of cat and mouse plays throughout the convicted child killer/rapist's life would seem to be quite juicy fodder.

And yet, all we really have to show for it are two sub-par outings (a passable TV procedural starring Brian Dennehy and a really awful feature with hammy unknown Mark Holton). And then comes "Dear Mr. Gacy" which --- if you're not aware of its extremely factual basis --- almost sounds like a bad joke.

Crime student Jason Moss (Jesse Moss) embarks on an almost masochistic journey into fear and loathing by establishing a communication with the killer during his last months on earth at Illinois' Menard prison. His idea (and it IS a clever one) is to establish himself as a textbook victim that Gacy will have no choice but to lure into his web, granting Moss a first-hand look into the delusional self-aggrandizing psychopath's mind for his college Criminology term paper.

It's a scenario almost tailor made for a movie script because, as we all know by now in films, if you want something that badly, the worst thing that can happen is that you get it, and Moss does. He also finds himself playing a little too perfectly into Gacy's hypnotic spell, which is complemented by all the right situational elements of his own life --- boredom with his girlfriend, resentment of his controlling mother, subtle contempt for his passive brother's victim-hood at the hands of the school bully.

The weakest link here is Jesse Moss, and that's only very rarely. Mostly his performance is very good, though there are a few times it's hard to believe his reactions wouldn't be a bit more emotional after some of Gacy's truly threatening phone tirades. William Forsythe is a great actor and never more disturbing than in this role...he's the creepiest Gacy by far, expertly channeling his voyeurism with subtle bullying and manipulation, then morphing it into the "caring" love of a protective father figure, shifting on a dime. It's hard to know if his self-proclaimed stance as "king of the roost" at Menard is reality or in his head. His paintings were fetching a handsome sum near the end of his life, he had a cell with a view, TV, plants, and he could paint and smoke Cuban cigars smuggled in by guards who addressed him half-jokingly as "boss." Forsythe is a virtual cypher in the role, disappearing effortlessly into it, and leaving you very queasy in the process.

All in all, DMG is an intense, fun ride you won't forget. If it had a broader scope, it might just be the definitive Gacy biopic, but it probably wouldn't be as outright compelling, either. What's probably most disturbing about this particular story is what happened to the real Jason Moss, in the end. Be careful what you wish for, indeed.

Jason Moss (played by Jesse Moss, no relation), a college student attending UNLV, corresponds with serial killer John Wayne Gacy (William Forsythe),convicted of murdering 33 young men and boys, while on death row. They get closer and closer to each other... and each getting inside the other's head.

This film was very highly anticipated by me. I had actually corresponded with many (31) serial killers from 2001-2003, and was familiar with Moss' book. I had found it to be full of ego-stroking and gross exaggerations. Other reviews I read seemed to agree with me, and I was frankly disappointed that Moss went on to intern with the Secret Service, as I felt he was a hack. I hoped the film would correct some of this.

The film was developed with screenwriter Kellie Madison (her first script) and producer Clark Peterson ("Monster") along with interaction from Moss, at least up until his suicide on 6/6/06. They got permission from his widow, Charlotte, to go ahead, and made the film as we can see it today. Personally, I think they did a brilliant job. Some of the scenes (with the male hooker and the final confrontation, for example) are probably dubious, but they relate to the book. So, as far as adaptations go, it is pretty strong.

I had the pleasure to speak with Barry Boschelli, a lifelong friend of John Wayne Gacy, before seeing this film. You can see some clips of Barry in the special features. He not only told me some great stories about Gacy (which you can read in his book), but praised William Forsythe for his accuracy in the portrayal of Gacy. If Barry says Forsythe was great, who am I to argue? I thought so, too, and it seems to be supported.

I hope this movie brings more light to the life of Jason Moss. I would like to see a biography of him. What did his brother, parents and wife think of his adventures? His girlfriend in the film... was she a real person? Did his professor find this accurate? Menard prison? What more can be learned about his suicide and the date he chose to kill himself?

I would recommend this film, without a doubt, for anyone who read the book, whether you enjoyed it or not. I would also recommend it for any fan or student of John Wayne Gacy. The accuracy is debatable, but I think the film is a valuable piece that deserves to be in your library. And any fan of William Forsythe... he does not get the credit he deserves often enough. This may be his stand-out role.

For a college term paper, a rather naive young man named Jason Moss (played by actor improbably named Jesse Moss) decides to interview notorious, real-life serial killer John Wayne Gacy (William Forsythe). The story, which is true, is set in the early 1990s.

Gacy was convicted in 1980 of killing over thirty Chicago area boys and young men in the 1970s, and was on death row when Moss sent Gacy the initial written inquiry. Through the plot, the two correspond via letter and talk on the phone. Eventually, Gacy arranges for a personal visit from Moss.

Jason comes across as smart, ambitious, and a bit smug and cocky. At no time does he express any genuine interest in Gacy as a person. Instead, Jason hopes to gain the confidence of Gacy so as to learn details about Gacy's experiences that law enforcement and the FBI were unable to learn. Jason's motives are thus somewhat selfish, and aimed at furthering his own academic career. I really didn't much sympathize with him or his tactics. And of course Gacy, the killer who dressed up as a clown, was truly evil. In short, there's no one to root for in this film.

This is an unusual movie in that close-up camera shots of characters comprise much, if not most, of the scenes. Lighting is conventional. The film offers little in the way of suspense. It comes across as a TV docu-drama. Casting and acting are acceptable.

For viewers interested in true crime stories, "Dear Mr. Gacy" offers a strange after-the-fact twist to a dreadful episode. And at the film's very end, the script makes a startling revelation about one of the real-life characters.

Well paced thriller with a good amount of creepy.

I like it when there's a character who transforms in a movie. Moss becomes involved with Gacy who gets inside his head and stirs up some trouble. We see his character sink lower and lower as a result of his obsession. The fact that this is based on a true story where the student becomes successful but still succumbs to something dark and commits suicide brings layers to this movie; and a yearning to know many more details of what really happened between these two men.

Forsythe and Moss have good chemistry and depth.

I recommend. I will be very surprised if you do not google this story after viewing - I did.