I Am Not A Serial Killer was a left field surprise. I don’t play sports, but I feel like that analogy will hold. Based off a book by Dan Wells, the film stars Christopher Lloyd, who is finally old enough to play an old man without old man makeup, alongside another ripened young actor Max Records. Before this film, I hadn’t ever watched anything starring the young prodigy, but with Brother’s Bloom and the lead of Max in Where The Wild Things Are, his film pedigree is only getting stronger.

The films plot revolves around the recently diagnosed sociopath John Cleaver (Records) who is at the turning point of youth where one defines their identity. Having all the tell-tale signs of a serial killer, he fears that he is on the edge and is afraid he could kill any minute. Bullied at school and misunderstood at home, he struggles to find his way until someone, right under his nose, begins a serial killing spree. With the chance to see someone like himself at work, he begins a hunt to find the person or monster at work.

I have always been a fan of the horror genre, especially the early works, before it was mostly gore porn leading the charts at theaters. A good psychological thriller doesn’t come around very often, especially one that can keep your attention with compelling characters. The greatest strength it boasts is embodying the visual style of all the greats from your top horror lists, including Silence of the Lambs, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Shining. It sports a gritty, VHS filter that melts you right back into the early 90’s living room, TV stationed squarely on the floor, and your parents are asleep in the next room during the weekend sleepover. It even features the small, homogeneous town with folk who all know each other.

This film is full of horror film stereotypes, but yet, even as I sit here and list them, they don’t really define the film. The story blazes its own trail, weaving the real and surreal into a rich tale of youth, uncertainty, and personal discipline. If anything, this film might be too comforting to be called horror. While it may not keep you on edge, I Am Not A Serial Killer certainly will keep you involved with its strong acting, well rounded story, and nostalgic vision.

~* 8.5/10 *~