The first annual Night Frights LA kicked off the day with three crazy as hell blocks of short films. After a quick break, we were welcomed with the festival’s feature film premiere. Seeing how The Winchesters put together their three blocks of short films, I knew we would be in for a treat with their hand-selected feature. What happens when true crime, horror fans, and undying love cross paths? You get Catch a Killer.
Otto (Malum’s Sam Brooks) is a 20 year old former police officer, who now makes his nut as a crime scene cleaner. His girlfriend Lex (Tu Morrow) is pregnant and finishing school. Their lives? That’s about to be flipped upside down. When Otto notices a pattern in a slew of local killings, he tries to do everything he can to get his former coworkers to listen and bring an end to these brutal slayings. Will the local detectives listen to Otto to Catch a Killer?
Teddy Grennan’s third feature film is sleek, but substantive. In a world where David Fincher exists, it’s hard not to have a grounded true crime film get described as Fincher-esque. But labeling Catch a Killer as nothing more than Fincher-like would be wholly reductive of the film’s entity. It visually borrows from the films it seems to pay homage to, while still maintaining its own originality. Grennan’s ideas are beautifully lensed by cinematographers Christopher Walters and Bryan Wolfinger. Their visual motifs feel a bit heavy-handed at first, but they slowly work their way into a visual treat.
Grennan’s grip on directing actors feels honed and deliberate in a way that indie films sometimes don’t have. Specifically, Brooks and Morrow steal the show. Granted, they are the leads. Brooks brings a campy, almost gauche, performance that should feel out of place but somehow fits. His character is a young jack of all trades who somehow made his way onto the force at an incredibly young age. However, there are several wonderful points scattered throughout the film that highlight his youthful ignorance and ground him back to being somewhat relatable. Morrow, on the other hand, delivers a stellar and authentic performance that keeps the audience invested in every scene she appears in.
I did have a few slight issues that didn’t overly detract from my experience, but were prevalent enough to stick with me. First, the gore. There are quite a few Sinister-esque death scenes that pull a few too many punches. Not everything needs to be overly gratuitous. And I can see where Grennan tried to strike a balance between good and bad taste. In the Q&A after the film, Grennan even revealed that the original script was MUCH bloodier. For a true crime film not based on a true story, I felt Grennan could have given a bit more blood. Or viscera.
Secondly, the ages of Otto and Lex (And Peggy (Tommi Rose) by proxy). It’s specifically stated that Otto is 20 and the pregnant Lex is 18. There’s a whole conversation between Otto and his 26-year-old ex, Peggy, about the 18 year old who is pregnant. There’s nothing wrong with tackling subjects like this. It just felt like Grennan was trying to say something about the age difference between Otto’s former and current girlfriend. Whatever that commentary was, it didn’t feel fleshed out.
Catch a Killer tackles a tired subgenre through horror-tinted lenses. And it does a damn fine job of it. The minor issues I had didn’t detract from the thrill ride that is Catch a Killer. It’s a great middle ground where both fans of true crime and horror can find enjoyment. Grennan and his crew have a terrific indie film that shows the true potential of all involved. Honestly, if Shudder didn’t pick this film up, I’d be surprised. It may be Otto’s job to Catch a Killer, but it’s your job to catch this film.
