Movie Review: They Look Like People (2015)

They Look Like People (2015) *** ½ / *****

Directed by: Perry Blackshear.

Written by: Perry Blackshear.

Starring: MacLeod Andrews (Wyatt), Evan Dumouchel (Christian), Margaret Ying Drake (Mara), Mick Casale (Psychiatrist), Elena Greenlee (Sandy). 

 

They Look Like People, the micro budgeted buddy film/psychological horror movie really works as both of those things for about an hour, and then brings them together in the final 20 minutes in an intense, scary, and even moving way. Perry Blackshear wrote and directed the film – and, well, pretty much did everything else to (he’s credited as producer, cinematographer, editor, production designer and sound designer). He clearly made this film as a calling card – as proof of what he can do – and it really is an ingenious little film.

 

The film is about Christian (Evan Dumouchel), a “bro” living in New York, working at what looks like some kind of startup tech or media company, who works out constantly and hypes himself up with self-help mantras. One day, his old childhood friend Wyatt (MacLeod Andrews) shows up out of the blue, with nowhere to go and nothing to do – and Christian invites him to stay with him for a few days. Gradually, we get to know both of these men – and get a sense of their history together – as they revert back to the childish games they used to play – and basically act like overgrown children. We learn early on that both are dealing with breakups of a sort – Wyatt was engaged, but now he’s not for some cryptic reason, and Christian talks about a room that was Kat’s, but now isn’t. We’ll learn a little more about both of their histories throughout the movie, but smartly, the movie doesn’t answer all of those questions.

 

It also becomes clear that both of them are dealing with mental illness in their own ways. Christian’s is probably more commonplace – depression and self-esteem issues – hence those motivation tapes, the mantras, the constant working out. He was once weak, but now has convinced himself (or at least is trying to convince himself) that he’s strong. Wyatt’s is more acute – he’s hearing voices, and occasionally we enter his buzzing brain – as he is told about a coming war in which he will have to kill someone who looks like a friend. He retreats to Christian’s basement to prepare.

 

The paranoia in the film grows gradually – but steadily. There aren’t many more characters in the film other than Christian and Wyatt – other than Mara (Margaret Drake) – Christian’s new boss, and new love interest. She’s more grounded that either of the two men – and also cannot tell that anything is wrong with either of them. They have done a good job at masking that – putting on a front to not allow people to see behind it.

 

Eventually, of course, we do see behind it. The climax of the film is between Christian and Wyatt – and involves that basement again. But it doesn’t play out the way we think it will – in part because Christian doesn’t react to Wyatt’s illness, when it becomes too pronounced to hide – the way we think he will. Whether it’s reckless or stupid what he does, it is also quite touching – showing trust to Wyatt that no one else does.

 

They Look Like People is a fine film. Yes, you can tell it cost almost no money to make – but that’s not a strike against it. What Blackshear has done is made a genuinely suspenseful and insightful film, for almost no money. Imagine what he can do with a budget.